A Universe of Change Ver 4A
by AlbertG
Summary: A Star Trek Babylon Five X-over. (Redone and Completetly re-edited) When the Enterprises C and D escaped thru the temporal opening, they entered a universe they never imagined and changed everything forever.
1. Prelude

Title: A UNIVERSE OF CHANGE version 4.0.1

Author: Albert Green Jr.

Rating: PG- 13

Category: Crossover: Star Trek-TNG/ Babylon Five

Summary: When the _Enterprise-D_ decided to enter the temporal distortion along with the _Enterprise-C_ to ensure the restoration of the timeline, that action set forth a chain of events that would propel both ships into a universe they never imagined.

NOTICE: THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE BUT MUST NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM.

---------------------COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER NOTICE-----------

"Star Trek", "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", and "Star Trek: Enterprise" and all related Star Trek related material, it's characters and certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television shows and movies, may be or are registered trademarks of, and may be or are copyrighted by Paramount Studios and whatever Corporation it may or may not be owned by.

"Babylon Five", it's characters, certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television show, past present of near future, may be or are registered trademarks of, Babylon 5, characters, names, and all related indicia are trademarks of Time Warner Entertainment Co., LP.

Additional characters are the creation of the author who is solely responsible for them as such. Neither Studio is responsible for the content of this story.

THIS STATEMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THE STORY 'A UNIVERSE OF CHANGE' IF DISTRIBUTED. THIS STORY IS FREE OF CHARGE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM. THIS DEDICATION MUST ACCOMPANY ANY DISTRUBUTION OF THIS STORY.

Dedication:

First of all, my wife who allowed me to hide in our basement and write in relative peace, even though punishment will come later. Then to Andrew Caruthers whose writing style has gave me incentive to continue. And I thank all those who have written me concerning 'Evolutions', all of whom have inspired me to continue writing for fun the of it, because God understands that this is hard.

Albert Green Jr.

or

Foreword:

I am doing something I promised I would never do and that is to provide a spoiler for a story. I have this belief that people who are familiar with _Star Trek_ and _Babylon Five_ are already aware of the story and its origins. And to those who are new to these sci-fi icons, I want them to enter my stories with a since of wonder and excitement. Before I say anything, else I will state that the temporal cold war will play an important in this and the related stories that will interlock with this universe I am creating.

This crossover story has its basis in the universe created by the entrance of the _Enterprise-C's_ jump twenty-two years into the future [See: '_Yesterday's Enterprise'_ episode for details]. When it did that, the entire timeline changed for the crew and galaxy-in-general in which the present day _Enterprise-D_ under command by Jean-Luc Picard, was a part. The _Enterprise-D_ transformed from a ship of peace to a true Federation Battleship. The Federation and Klingon Empire were at war, but the question is why? What was going on here? Why did the '_C_' jump to the exact place where the one person in the Federation could advise Picard to reverse a timeline no one else recognized as different? Does anyone really believe that a slew of photon torpedoes could cause a rupture in time and space-and if it did what does that say about space in general?

Eventually, the time line was corrected and everything returned to normal-more or less. No one really comprehended or even remembered what had happened and we moved on to other adventures. However, what would have happened if Picard had chosen another path? What if the Klingons had gotten there a little sooner and pressed Picard into making another, perhaps foolish, perhaps desperate decision? What was behind this and so many other temporal anomalies that people had to begin inventing an entire new vocabulary to explain the things happening in the Alpha quadrant? This story presents one possibility.

I also propose that the _Ambassador_-class _Enterprise-C_ and the _Soyuz_-class starship USS _Bozeman_, the ship caught in the causality loop with the _Enterprise-D_ (which kept blowing up for seventeen or so days), was part of a similar, but failed experiment. Why? I suggest that both experiments were initiated by other forces to produce the same results that the _Enterprise-C_ ultimately generated. Those powers wanted major war between the Klingons and Federation with the ultimate purpose of negating the effectiveness of both governments in the distant future.

And what does that have to do with anything?

Well-

Say 'temporal cold war' and 'Enterprise-Archer' in the same breath and we all have a clue.

***

Let's check out some of the altered players in this story:

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, _Enterprise-D_: Commander of a _Galaxy_ class warship several times stronger than its temporal counterpart. He has the soul of a poet with the temperament of a warrior, pressed into a war lasting more than twenty years. Exploration is as a whole, something to be dreamt of. Many discoveries taken for granted by that 'other' Picard has never happened to this one. He is colder and more socially isolated from his crewmembers. To him and his crew, the Prime Directive is something to aspire to, whenever the war ends and they have that luxury. But as of now, it has fallen to the wayside as the Federation fights a losing battle against the Klingon Empire.

And by the way, Kirk is still alive and trapped in a certain energy ribbon called the Nexus.

Captain Rachel Garrett, _Enterprise-C_: Commander of a vessel of exploration, _Ambassador_ class. It is the flagship of its time, with a standard compliment of seven hundred fifty officers and crew. It could remain completely independent for a maximum of twelve years (if necessary). Its destiny was to fight in battle against a fleet of Romulan warbirds- and lose.

Of Rachel herself, very little is known other than the short introduction in the TV show. But the fact that a woman is in command of a Federation vessel called _Enterprise_ makes her someone not to contend with. This part was tricky because her personality was very close to Captain Janeway's of _Voyager_ and in fact, this suggests that Garrett was Janeway's precursor, cut from the same cloth as it were. I have fleshed out her personality with what I have seen, and have tried to bring her character to life-shifting away from the Janeway style and homing in on the Garrett traits and a life twenty two years different-a time when the Cardassians, not the Klingons were the problem. Admiral Sulu was still alive and the threat of real war with the Klingons didn't exist. She is that which is between the original and the next generation. The Prime Directive had substance and meaning but at the same time the Federation was still a touch rough around the edges, which to some, considering the times, may have been a good thing.

Commander Benjamin Sisko, third in command of the _Enterprise-C_. What can I say? He is 'The Sisko', one of the more underused and under-acknowledged Captains of Star Trek fame. We can't even find _DS9_ on TV, and being semi-polite, I will not speculate on this now. The Prophets miss him and will make that fact known. _DS9_ does not exist and instead he became an Officer specializing in 'ground-pounding', an Assault Commander, dealing with Klingons hand-to-hand as necessary. His wife and child are gone. He is alone, but reflective. He and his people were simply being ferried by the _Enterprise-D _to the front lines. His life will have a major impact on the lives he touches.

Guinan: Bartender and adversary of the legendary Q. Her people are 'aware' of things, but she is far more than simply 'aware'. We know very little about who and what she is. We know she has power, but has always refused to use it or even to enlighten others like Picard as to what she truly is. She is not what she seems and her impact on this story will be immense.

_Babylon Five_ is literally a different universe altogether which is now being touched by those mentioned above. Six minutes will make a pronounced difference in how things will shape up there. But in the end, as Delenn would probably say, 'just because we are in the universe trying to shape it into our image, does not mean that it, in any fashion, chooses to be shaped. It chooses the shape it wants. Pray that it does not notice us.'

One more thing: This story and the following two will mainly be told from the ST perspective; although the B5- and others will not be slighted in any way. POV is important. Have fun.

AG

_A UNIVERSE OF CHANGE_ _"Prelude"_

Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the _USS Enterprise-D_ stared intently at the woman still lying on the medical bed nursing a bad fracture and serious internal injuries. He'd known her for only a few hours, but he'd come to like this woman and what he had to tell her filled him with sorrow. However, Picard had every intention of telling her anyway, because it was necessary not only for him, but for the entire Alpha quadrant. The Captain had come to understand that this entire timeline, the war with the Klingons, everything he believed for the last twenty-two years was a lie.

The _Enterprise-C_ had entered the sector thru a very unstable temporal rift; a rift that literally appeared in front the _Enterprise-D_ for no apparent reason. It had been speculated that the occurrence happened when something similar to a Kerr loop of superstring material interacted with the energies from multiple photon explosions, pushing the _Ambassador_-class ship into the future-exactly twenty-two years, three months and four days.

His heart filled him with sorrow, but he quickly hardened it for the task that he being was forced to perform. "Captain," Picard continued. "If your ship had stayed to confront those Romulan warbirds, even if it were destroyed, that sacrifice might have averted twenty years of war."

"And you want us to go back that?" Rachel Garrett, Captain of the _USS Enterprise-C_ looked at him as though he was insane. Responding to a distress, call she and her crew had confronted four Romulan warbirds in an attempt to stop them from attacking a defenseless Klingon colony. She lost and a savage barrage of photon torpedoes ripped into her ship and created a temporal rift in surrounding space that plunged her ship with its one hundred twenty-five survivors from the past. "We just barely got out with our lives and you want us to go back?"

Picard looked at her with a compassion that he thought that he'd lost after all these years of experiencing death and destruction. "I don't believe that there is a choice in this matter." He moved closer to the Captain, his voice going soft. "Starfleet is losing this war. We estimate that within four months we'll have to sue for peace. One more ship won't change the outcome here, but it would make a significant difference if a Federation ship were seen to protect a Klingon outpost against the Romulans. It would be considered a matter of honor."

Rachel looked at him with a mixture of compassion and complete dread. She understood what was happening here in the future. She'd come to the same conclusion as he had. "To tell the truth, my crew hated running from that fight." She smiled slightly. "Help us get our ship together and we'll give them a fight that they'll long remember." She was resigned to her fate. Death was waiting and there was nothing she could do about it but face it with it with dignity- and of course spitting in its ugly face.

Picard looked deeply into the eyes a doomed woman. He'd never seen anything braver in his life.

In the recreation room called Ten Forward, the woman known as Guinan felt more uncomfortable by the moment. All she had to go on were her feelings; that this time line, this existence they were presently in, was all wrong and she told an unbelieving Picard exactly that. The hundreds of hardened soldiers crammed aboard this already overcrowded starship felt wrong. Then there was Tasha Yar, and echo of a life that should not have existed. The woman called Tasha Yar felt wrong-the actual word that came to Guinan was _dead_.

_This should have been a ship of peace not a warship_, she explained to a then disbelieving Picard. With her uncanny ability to perceive things, she understood this whole series of events should not have existed. But now something else was nagging the back of her brain. The Federation was in a war with the Klingons and over forty billion had died while the Romulans were just waiting to pick up the pieces.

She told Picard that the _Enterprise-C_ needed to return from whence it came its own time to correct the timeline, and after he understood, he agreed; but something was still wrong. Outside, the distortional temporal rift fluctuated slightly, catching her attention. She felt a shifting; something about to begin, but she didn't know exactly what was beginning.

"Captain," Tasha Yar, Chief of Security, said, quickly confirming her findings on her tactical computer. "Two Klingon bird of preys have de-cloaked."

"Red alert! Lock on and destroy," Picard said instantly. There was no trying to disable engines or minimizing loss of life, as he would have considered in another existence. He simply wanted to kill them as efficiently as possible.

"Phasers, lock onto the closest one towards the _Enterprise-C_," Commander William Riker added, his voice as cold as his Captain's.

"Fire."

Because of the Klingon's insistence on attacking the smaller _Ambassador_-class ship, it remained visible a few moments too long. _Enterprise-D_ galaxy class starship's phasers slashed into and thru Klingon shields, causing significant damage. Life support had been obliterated and internal explosions could be seen erupting throughout the small ship. At the same time, photon torpedoes damaged the second Klingon ship just as it fired a devastating blow at the _Enterprise–C._ That vessel re-cloaked, barely able to escape the vengeful Starship.

The smaller Federation ship rocked violently, its already weakened shields barely holding. Captain Garrett was knocked out of her command chair, a nasty gash in the center of her head where a piece of metal had hit but thankfully not penetrated. Lieutenants Tasha Yar and Richard Castillo prepared to defend the ship from the brutal attack on the already once crippled ship.

The second Klingon ship moved off after firing and missing the _Enterprise-C_, vainly trying to avoid the _Enterprise-D_'s responding salvo, its port shields damaged or obliterated. The Klingon ship itself now a death trap.

"Are there any survivors on that ship?" Picard demanded looking at the rapidly disintegrating _Bird-of-prey_ hulk.

"Three," came the answer, from lieutenant Commander Data.

"Beam them to the brig. I want prisoners," the Captain growled. Klingon prisoners were rare and he intended to make the most of it.

"Done."

"Captain, three more Klingon vessels are de-cloaking. They're heavy cruisers. ETA four minutes."

_Three_.

He knew that they were coming. Starfleet's long-range tactical Intel had been tracking them, but their timing had been inaccurate. It should have been nine hours before the Klingon ships arrived not seven. They had gotten here before they were supposed to.

Such were the fortunes of war.

That was too many for the _Enterprise-D_ to handle and protect its weakened sister ship at the same time. Picard realized that the Klingons had forced his decision and he'd run out of options.

"Emergency power to the shields to protect the _Enterprise-C_. Tell them to head for the rift now!" This was the decision that he didn't dare make. With the _Enterprise-D_ traveling back into the past, the timeline would again be polluted, but maybe he could do something about it. "We're going into the rift with them. Number One, prepare to engage Romulan warbirds as soon as we clear the rift. Inform Captain Garrett of our plans."

"Yes, sir," Commander William Riker responded, relaying the orders immediately.

Both ships headed towards the rift and entered just as the Klingon battle cruisers fired a full salvo of disruptor class torpedoes at both ships. Their detonations would be seen for light years. The _Enterprises_ shields were both obliterated.

"No!" Guinan screamed, falling to the floor. She was joined by many other people draped over tables and chairs from the force of the impact. She screamed again as the two _Enterprises_ were covered in the blackness emanating from the rift. "This is wrong!"

No one heard her.

The additional energy blasts from the photon torpedoes warped the temporal rift. Both ships were pulled into a dark black, then red-blue tunnel, ripped apart at a quantum level and re-assembled. Hours later, both ships emerged from the rift nearly powerless and alone.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One  
  
"Lost"  
  
The two Federation Starships re-appeared about two kilometers distant from one another near a G3 class star of unknown determination. It was discovered that almost everyone had been rendered unconscious, and only now were they just beginning to stir. Life support was functional, but precious little else. Half-dazed crews worked feverously now, unsure when or if a Klingon attack was coming. If the Klingons or Romulans assaulted now, they wouldn't stand a chance.  
  
After an hour of frantic repairs, both crews realized they were in a far worse situation that they'd first assumed. In engineering, most of the critical systems were back online and now Geordi and his assistant were trying their best to reactivate the android Lieutenant Commander.  
  
"Data? Data! Can you hear me?" Geordi asked. "Obviously not," he said to his assistant, Ensign Sonya Gomez. They had checked Data twice and both were bewildered. "He should be functional."  
  
"Oh. I found the problem," she answered, pointing at a broken sub-circuit. "That left micro-lead has been severed. It's so small that you can hardly see it."  
  
"Okay, I got it," he said while re-fusing the connection with the laser probe. Sonya's closeness and that perfume she was wearing was distracting him. Not for the first time he'd wished he could see her for real and not through his VISOR. He was blind from birth and the VISOR device allowed him to 'see' in a blizzard of electronic signals and colors. He could see a thousand things that were beyond mere Human sight, but regular colors and textures were beyond his ability. Sonya was younger than he and absolutely beautiful, but she didn't even know he existed. He wished he could say the same. "There. That did it."  
  
Data's eyes snapped open. He looked around. "Thank you, Geordi. I have been inactive for two hours, fifteen minutes twenty-eight seconds. What has happened during that time? Are we still defending ourselves against the Klingons or have we engaged and defeated the Romulans?"  
  
"Whoa, Data. Slow down. Sensors haven't detected any Klingons or Romulans in the area. And that's the problem."  
  
"Problem?" he asked with his usual interest. "In what way?"  
  
"Slow down for a moment," Geordi advised again as Data attempted to sit up. "Perform a internal diagnostic first."  
  
"Acknowledged." A few seconds later: "I am fully functional. Now what is the problem?"  
  
"Well for one thing, we don't know where we are."  
  
Captain Garrett, still recovering from her recently freshly wounds, Captain Picard, Commander William Riker and acting Number One for the Enterprise-C, Richard Castillo and several other crewmembers waited somewhat impatiently for Data and Geordi to join them. As soon as they entered, Picard bombarded them with questions.  
  
"Mr. Data, exactly what happened? Where are we? Why were we out for more than two hours?"  
  
"When we attempted to enter the temporal rift with the Enterprise-C," Data began, "we failed to take into consideration that it was tailored only for one ship, not two. In addition to the instability of the rift and its interactions with the energy excitation of the multiple photon torpedo bursts, a series of micro-fractures in the subspace ether were generated. Both of our ships entered a micro-fracture and we ended up here. In essence, I believe that we are in another universe."  
  
It wasn't just a question of distance or even time, but universal displacement.  
  
"There's more," Geordi said, and then grimaced himself as his additional comment created audible groans from multiples sources. He knew that this was last thing they needed to hear right now. "To us, it felt like two hours were torn from our lives but according to the Enterprises external chronometer, we've been traveling for more than a year. We're still in the Alpha quadrant but we're having trouble trying to lock down exactly where we are. Both Enterprises were taken apart at a quantum level and restructured. We're still running detailed diagnostics to make sure everything is in working order. With everything we've seen so far, it's going to take at least five days to get everything back in ship shape."  
  
As per usual, his Captain cut that time in half. "You have two days," Picard said. "And start searching for a way back to Federation space. Make sure the sensors are working. If they exist in this universe, I don't want the Klingons, Romulans or whoever to catch us napping. Lieutenant Yar, dispatch several probes, pattern Delta. I want to know what is going on in the surrounding area."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The meeting continued for another half hour before being dismissed. There was a lot of work to do. The two Captains remained in the ready room to finish up.  
  
"Captain," Rachel Garrett said. "We should be able to take the time to work on my ship. Most of my crew is dead and your ship is crowded with soldiers. So I would like to suggest that you transfer some of them to the Enterprise -C. That would alleviate the pressure on your ship and bring mine back up to speed. If possible, I like to see if we can upgrade my ship a little. You never know and I want to be prepared."  
  
"Good idea," he said, thinking about the possibilities. "Make it so." He made a slight dismissive movement.  
  
"Make it so?" she echoed. Was this man actually dismissing her like she was some kind of cadet? The look she gave him was a withering, brutal stare. Subconsciously, her hands went onto her hips.  
  
"Oh. Sorry Captain," he said, noticing the look, but not feeling sorry in the least.  
  
"Captain, let me make one thing perfectly clear," she snarled in a way that commanded his full attention. "Don't patronize me or my crew. I understand the stress you must have being Captain of a warship," she added, waving her arm to represent the entire Enterprise-D. "You've been at war for your entire career. I am not your enemy Captain, but I'm not your subordinate either. In fact, I outrank you. I may be displaced out of time, but then so are you and my commission came a long, long time before yours."  
  
"Captain," he snarled back. "Right now, our situation is an unknown quantity. We need to be prepared and supportive of each other until we can resolve it. I will do everything I can to get us back to Federation space. I trust you'll do the same." Rachel's eyes glared at him. "I understand my priorities. And I hope you remember what you're saying right now, Captain Picard, because from what I see now, you've been at war a little too long. My Starfleet wasn't designed for that. We were explorers and I still am even, if you're not. I don't want you going all testosterone on me the instant we run into a situation. I don't want to hear how you 'accidentally' blew something up. Remember this: you are part of MY Starfleet. And," she quietly added, "I'm part of yours."  
  
Picard huffed, said nothing for almost a minute. Then he smiled, warmly this time. "I am sorry Captain," he said, taking his chair. "War does something to you. It destroys what we can be for what we have to be. You are correct in your evaluation of me. It's been a hard, brutal campaign."  
  
Rachel softened. "I understand. When we get back, if we get back, you're in charge."  
  
He laughed softly. How nice of her. "It's been a long time since I've received such a dressing down. It feels different."  
  
"At least you didn't have Admiral Sulu breathing down your neck," Rachel said smiling at the distant memory.  
  
"Heaven Forbid," he moaned. "I'm authorizing your suggestions. Now since it appears we will be here for a while, let's bring both our ships up to speed. Your ship is about to be introduced to the joys of modern replicator technology. It's very convenient and very soon we can have more than simple K rations."  
  
"At least we have real food on board my ship," she countered. Most of it had survived the Romulan attack. A good two-year store was left untouched.  
  
"But we have the state-of-the-art holodecks. That, Captain, is something else that we will have to update. You will be surprised at the improvements."  
  
Two days later both ships launched probes, which began a slow trek towards what was tentatively identified as Earth. As they traveled slowly, the Enterprise-C's engines received a twenty-five percent boast using the new energizer coils installed by Geordi's engineering crew. Phasers were made hotter by about the same proportion and shields were increased by over forty percent. The ships compliment went from less than one hundred thirty to almost seven hundred fifty, balancing both ships with a total of seventeen hundred crewmembers and everyone was delighted by the extra space. Even Commander Sisko's three thousand fleet marines being transported on the Enterprise -D, didn't complain when split between the two ships. There was room enough to spare.  
  
The Ambassador-class ship was slower than the Galaxy class Enterprise-D, but those systems would be optimized as time permitted. Besides, unless the Enterprise-D was at full warp, the difference wouldn't really matter anyway. And the Enterprise-D had the opportunity to do something that rarely presented itself before-exploration.  
  
On the other front, the news was all bad. There was no way to reproduce the conditions that brought them here to this unknown universe. And that was exactly what it was-a completely unknown reality. The quantum signature of this universe they were trapped in was nowhere near the home Federation signature's universe. Temporal-spatial anomaly aside, it was going to take some time in order to return to their universe, if it were even possible. In truth, Picard was secretly glad that he had his sister ship with him, even if its Captain was a pain in the butt. It was rough being alone and she was competent enough to do the job if he became incapacitated.  
  
A class-one probe was sent ahead to make sure that they didn't run into any surprises. But Picard was still despondent from the news that Guinan delivered to him.  
  
"When you made the decision to enter the temporal rift, it was a mistake," she told him. "That other Enterprise should have went in alone, even if it meant the destruction of our ship. Because that didn't happen, that aberrant timeline remains and we're stuck here."  
  
"Exactly where is here, Guinan? Picard pressed.  
  
"I can't say, exactly," she answered. "I've never been here before, but I can feel the danger surrounding us. This place is unbalanced and our presence will affect the course of events here."  
  
"Can you please be more specific?" He was exasperated. Sometimes talking to her was like speaking with your mouth full of syrup. The woman was incomprehensible when she wanted to be. "I need to know what I'm up against."  
  
"I can't say because I don't know yet. When I know I'll tell you. The good thing is that there are no Borg here."  
  
"What are the Borg?" he asked.  
  
"It doesn't matter," she answered, dismissing his question as trivial. "What does matter is that you and Garrett beware of the dark shadows that haunt this universe."  
  
Chief of Security, Tasha Yar, a tall no-nonsense young blond with a fairly bad haircut, and Acting Executive Officer lieutenant Commander Castillo stood in front of the brig's force field, listening to the latest in a long string of Klingon curses from the male survivor of the Bird-of-prey. The younger female, about twenty years old or so, in the next cell, simply glared at them with hate and what Castillo could swear was hurt. He'd talk to her soon, but for now, he concentrated on the big male.  
  
"I'll tell you nothing," the Klingon bellowed. "Kill me. Are you afraid?"  
  
Tasha's eyes glared as she moved to within an inch of the energy barrier separating her from the Klingon Warrior.  
  
"If I had my way," she began speaking so quietly that the warrior had to strain to hear, "I would transport your stinking carcass into the middle of space." And she meant it too. "But the Captain ordered me to talk to you instead," which was something that she clearly did not want to do. "What I am about to tell you is true. I don't care if you believe me or not. We are in another universe, no thanks to your friends incompetence. So far we haven't been able to find a way back."  
  
The Klingon bellowed heartily "And I thought Humans were the galaxy's best liars. I was wrong." He came to the very edge of the field matching her proximity. Neither budged. "I will kill you all."  
  
"Do something useful. Kill yourself."  
  
Glare. Glare.  
  
For several moments the two of them glowered at one another. Castillo made a small movement causing both pairs of eyes to flicker in his direction. The Klingon eyed him with contempt. "My name is Lieutenant Commander Richard Castillo," he announced evenly. The Klingon guffawed.  
  
"Do you know what 'Kastalleow' means in my language?" He laughed again even more loudly this time.  
  
"My ship is the Enterprise-C," Richard continued, ignoring the implied insult. "Twenty-two years ago we engaged three Romulan warbirds near the Narendra III outpost. Our ship was crippled but we were pushed through a temporal rift and landed in the future-to this time. We tried to get back but your companions photon barrage sent us here instead of back into the past."  
  
It was clear that those few words had an impact on the Klingon warrior. He'd seen the temporal rift, but at the time his crew had no explanation as to why both Federation ships were trying to re-enter the distortion other than to escape. And the Enterprise was not a ship populated by cowards. His fool of a Commander decided to attack both Federation ships and the small Bird-of-prey was destroyed as a result.  
  
"Why did you run?" Despite his attempts at feigning disinterest, it was clear that he wanted to know desperately.  
  
"We didn't. We tried to get back, to save the Narendra III colony and correct a timeline that shouldn't exist or least that's what I've been told- "  
  
"To prevent the war," the Klingon finished. It was as though he knew exactly what had happened so many years ago.  
  
"Yes," Richard responded, somewhat surprised by the Klingon's awareness.  
  
"We-we suspected. But we never had proof. The house of Duras pushed for war with the Federation. But we knew."  
  
"So you started this war for nothing?" Castillo was stunned. Never in his wildest imagination did he expect the Klingon to respond like this.  
  
"We started this war for honor. I was a survivor on Khitomer when it was attacked," the warrior stated. "Kastalleow, I do not believe you, fully. But there is a way to submit proof. During the attack, when the warbirds battled you ship exactly what happened?"  
  
"Our ship was hit by a barrage of photon torpedoes. There was a bright light and we wound up in the future-here," Richard said. Then he added a few more details concerning the firefight.  
  
The Klingon simply shook his head. "As a child on Khitomer, I was told about the battle by my nursemaid. She told me exactly what you described, that it was a bright light that blazed in the heavens with long tail. The tail pulsated like a living thing. Then there was nothing. I told the others that story for many years, but no one believed me when I tried to pass it along. They did believe the Duras clan. But I knew Kahlest spoke the truth."  
  
"All this for nothing," Richard said while Tasha looked at him and the Klingon in shock. He turned away.  
  
"Wait, Human. You are still liars. But I am no fool."  
  
Both of them turned around.  
  
"I am Worf, son of Morg, son of Worf. Now tell me, what universe are we in?"  
  
Explanations took about an hour and were summed up thusly. Nobody had a clue as to what happened or how to get back.  
  
Leaving the prison section, the two officers sat at a table, which was a rarity, in Ten Forward. Tasha was attracted to Castillo the moment she'd seen him and even now her feelings were stronger than before, something that was very unusual for her, especially in such a short period of time.  
  
"How did you know that the Klingon would respond to what you had to say?" Tasha asked him. "I have never known one of them to speak so easily and freely like he did."  
  
"Your hatred of the Klingons is blinding you, Tasha," he answered. "They're not stupid you know. They've been out in deep space since before Archer and his people. Contrary to popular opinion, they can be reasonable provided you can press the correct buttons."  
  
"Which you apparently did."  
  
"Well, I can read people and what I saw in him was a need to understand his purpose in life other than this war. The first hint was that he didn't attempt to kill himself the instant he was captured," he added dryly. "That other Klingon male you captured did, but not him or her, for that fact."  
  
"You must be part Betazoid then, because I didn't have a clue. Actually," she admitted with some reluctance, "I just wanted him dead."  
  
"Some people have called me a pattern sensor," he said. "I can see patterns in a person's personality. Smiling, he added, "No. You don't have to be a mind reader to develop that ability."  
  
Tasha was momentarily confused. She could detect, almost smell danger and dangerous situations, but she had very little understanding when it came to an individual's personality traits. She found that she didn't like the idea of being around a person that could read her so easily. "I think you could become very annoying, Commander."  
  
"On the contrary, it allows me to get along with people very well. A case in point is well, you."  
  
She was in a slight huff now. "I think I've just been insulted," she said in mock anger.  
  
"No," Richard replied quickly. "It's just that the warrior mode in you melts away as soon as we talk. I like that gentle side of you. It makes me want to invite you to dinner."  
  
"Your treat?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Both ships hadn't moved far from their original exit point since the incident that had brought them to this unknown place. Two weeks of attempting to reproduce the conditions necessary to return them to their home dimension, simply produced frustration on both sides. For now, it was impossible to get back. The only bright point was that the repair crews were able to bring both ships back to full specifications. Picard was frustrated and angry at being helpless like this. He had to do something. Captain Garrett, a person to whom he was beginning to feel more comfortable with, was becoming a rock that he could bounce his frustrations on. Riker was good, but Garrett was his equal and that made all the difference. To his amazement, he found that he enjoyed 'hands on' work with his ship and the Enterprise-C as well.  
  
Captain Garrett's satisfaction was clearly evident on her face as she looked once more at her restored bridge. She and her remaining original crew were in the process of learning about the capabilities of her newly installed equipment. Everything, twenty-two years updated, gave the impression of almost having an entirely new ship. The replicators were glorious instruments for the facilitation of much needed equipment parts that were almost impossible to make by her engineering staff without Starbase support. The weapons and defense were far more efficient, but she didn't really concern herself with that. The potential for exploration was what intrigued her. With her talks earlier, she and Picard had decided to split the ships into two basic responsibilities. Hers would represent the exploratory half with the new crew wearing the older style uniforms, while Picard's ship would represent the full military branch complete with carrying the big stick, if necessary. They also decided to pass themselves off as part of a very distant, long lost colony trying to make it back home. The truth could be told, if the opportunity presented itself, at a later time. They had to tread carefully. What little signals they had received from Earth, made them cautious about a possible first contact situation. However, it was decided to move on and do a little exploring first.  
  
The first stop for the two Federation starships would be the Vulcan star system, some ten days distant at warp three. The trip was basically uneventful and much of the time was spent mapping the surrounding star systems. There were several major discrepancies noted in this new universe when compared to their own. For example, the Katasi nebula was non- existent and in its place was a heavy gravity singularity, the remains of a massive star that met its demise some three hundred thousand years past. The analog of the Andorian homeworld didn't exist, the victim of a large asteroid that had turned that planet into a pile of orbiting debris.  
  
The Enterprise-C, now nicknamed the Ambassador by some of the newer crewmembers, entered orbit first around what would have been Vulcan. What they found was a burned and scorched planet, one that had been caressed by a solar flare almost a thousand years earlier. There had been life there once and scans indicated that there were trace remains of a civilization hidden deep within several caves. It was a clear attempt at survival by the beings on the planet, but in the end the battle with their sun had been lost. The surface was so hot that even bacteria had ceased to exist.  
  
All of the Vulcans were keenly aware of the fate of this planet could so easily befall theirs even now. The Vulcans on the two Enterprise chanted their home worlds' funeral dirge for their lost brethren and the telepathically enhanced chant could be felt by everyone onboard both ships. Several more readings were taken and a small remnant, a memento of a dead civilization was beamed aboard. The Vulcans said it would be a treasure, a remembrance of things past, of things future and of things that could be. The small doll-like ornament was beamed up and placed under the care of the eldest Vulcan. It would be protected forever.  
  
Two days later, both starships tracked a local spaceship barely traveling at impulse-from a very discreet distance-to a certain region of space when the ship simply disappeared. Sensors detected an unusual object hanging some three light-months distant. It was an artificial construct consisting of four large struts placed in a loose rectangle formation. No one had an idea of what this device was, although Geordi speculated that it was some type of subspace distortion device designed to give access to a form of faster-than-light travel.  
  
"I think that there must be another device, I'd call it a stargate," Geordi said even as the Ambassador's Vulcan engineer agreed with the assessment. "That would allow the ship to safely exit FTL. Evidently, these people haven't developed warp drive. But this form of travel may be almost as fast. I would need to study it more to be sure."  
  
Intriguing as the idea was, Jean-Luc nixed that idea. There were too many variables and he didn't want the ships to be out in the open like this doing experimentation on someone else's stargate, or whatever it might be called. They move on at three quarters impulse towards Earth. Unknown to them, their presence triggered a hyperspace proximity signal that would eventually make its back to the very planet they were traveling to. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

**"_Contemplations"_**

The ship felt crowded to Rachel.  It was a good a good feeling, as good a feeling as being fully recovered from her injures.  The advanced replicators from Picard's ship proved a godsend.  And the updated technology for regenerating dilithium crystals made her feel a bit giddy.   The original members of her crew seemed to get along quite well with the newcomers and for that she was thankful.  It had been only twenty-two years difference, and a couple of the crew found that they were closely related, first cousins once removed to be exact.  But there was a problem beginning to threaten morale.  The fear of being marooned forever was beginning to show its effects.  She had a plan to fight this, but she needed to talk to someone first.  Onboard her ship was a Vulcan woman, Dr. Selar, along with several staff members transferred from the _Enterprise_-D, who might be able to help.   She walked into her newly transformed sickbay, smiling warmly. 

"What can I do for you, Captain?" the Vulcan asked.  Like most Vulcans, she was direct and to the point, but not obnoxious.

"We have a problem, here," she started.  "More and more of our people are beginning to suffer from what can be described as homesickness.  "We may be trapped here without the possibility of returning home and it is starting to grate on the crew."

"I understand," the Vulcan answered.  "Humans have a tendency to become depressed when faced with the possibility of the unknown, with little hope of returning home.  Vulcans do not experience these problems, however many emotional species do suffer from it." 

_Typically Vulcan_, she thought.  _And I believe that you are exaggerating, Doctor.  _There was always that touch of smugness present.  But it didn't really matter because she liked the woman.  She was well, pleasant.  

"I want to know if there are any of our people trained in psychology.   We can use that resource to treat some of our people if it becomes necessary."

"A most logical plan, Captain.  We have several medical personnel that fit the description," she said after a moment's contemplation. "I have a staff member who could prove very useful in implementing your plan."

The two of them walked over to a young Medical Doctor.

"Lieutenant Troi?"

"The lovely young lady turned around.  "Yes, doctor.  Oh, Captain."

"Deanna, I have selected you as the answer to Captain Garrett's problem concerning the crew," Selar said.  "Your training in psychiatry, and your empathic ability would serve the Captain's plan nicely."

The beautiful medic looked surprised as she heard the two officers speaking to her about a new type of position onboard. 

"Empathic?"  Garrett asked.  "Are you a Betazoid or Human?"

"Actually, my father was Human and my mother is Betazoid.  My telepathic abilities are not as strong as a full Betazoid, but I can sense emotions quite well, better than most.  It was thought that my abilities would mesh well with my training, but the war…"

"I understand," Garrett said.  "What I would like to do is to set up you and two or three staff members; you can pick them, and set up sessions for the crew to help maintain our mental health. Are you up to the challenge?  It's going to be a lot of work."

The young dark-haired woman, with the lovely eyes smiled.  "Captain, I would love the challenge."

"Good because the first challenge will be having the Klingons as patients."

Astounded, Dr. Troi realized that the Captain wasn't kidding.

Inside the brig Worf, growled at his companion in the cell next door.  "I don't care what you think.  We are not in our universe."

"They are liars, all of them," the Klingon woman snapped back.  "And you are a fool to believe anything that they say."

Typically Klingon, his temper flared but not as much as he had expected.  "B'Elanna, I could kill you for daring to speak to me in manner.  Do you not believe your own eyes; do you not feel it in your bones?  We are lost."

"They're lies!" 

Worf didn't even bother answering her.  He heard the doubt and fear in the woman's voice.  Unlike the Humans and the other aliens onboard, they didn't fall into unconsciousness.  Both had felt the tearing apart, the rearranging of their bodies during the transit from one dimension to another.   It was like being trapped in a transporter gone mad for more than two hours.  How his sanity remained was a great mystery to him.  However, survival was now up most on his mind.  If they were truly in another universe then this Captain would have no use for them.  At the very least he would maroon them on some unnamed planet.  If he were smart then he would just have them killed.  And Worf had no intention of dying just as he began to get glimpses of the truth.   If there was a possibility of returning home with the information he had of the Duras clan, then it was his duty to try to survive to tell the tale.  

His Klingon warrior spirit was torn between his hatred of captivity and his need to explore exactly what was going on.  Did he have the strength to deal with the Humans, his blood enemies?  He wasn't sure.  Rumor had it that the Vulcan and Andorian home worlds did exist in this universe, but that both had been destroyed by natural disasters.  Were there other Klingons in this reality?  What was their function here?   Were they warriors or something else entirely?

"You can't trust them!"

"You're half Human," he retorted.  "I trust you."

"You know where my loyalties lie," she spat. 

"Yes, I do," he snapped, responding as a typical Klingon would even if the words were wrong.  "We may be the only Klingons left.  Survive B'Elanna.  Survive."

She didn't know if she could.  She chose the Klingon way simply because the Humans never accepted her Klingon half, especially with the war.  They called themselves enlightened, she thought bitterly, but the instant the war began, they rejected her.  The Klingons barely trusted her until she became a Klingon's Klingon-better, faster, meaner, than any other.  That transformation had torn and macerated her soul and she cursed both races for it.

Commander Benjamin Sisko, a six-foot three African American male, sporting a bald-head and a well-tailored goatee that was now his favorite look, recently in charge of the ground strike commandos attachment with the _Enterprise-D_, hadn't decided if he liked being the tactical officer on the _Ambassador_ or not yet. These old-style uniforms, red-duty jacket with the turtleneck shirt, black pants with gold strip and descent boots were actually more practical than the modern day jump suits that challenged you each time you needed to use the restroom.  And he was growing fond of Captain Garrett.  True, he was third in command now but none of that really mattered.  Here and now, he was more or less content-and far away from the hurt and pain of the most horrible of events that had happened in his life.

Recently, his wife and son had been killed in supposedly neutral territory while he was serving onboard the _USS Saratoga_.  That ship had been torn apart by a Klingon assault and he and the survivors of his command had been assigned to the _Enterprise-D_. There had been no time to mourn and he was still adjusting to that horrible reality.  While his friends and co-workers assumed that his brooding was the result of his hatred of the Klingons, they were wrong.  Brooding was how he was dealt with the loss of his loved ones and now his ties were severed with all of those he still held dear.  His father and his sister were at least still alive on Earth.  But he knew, somehow he knew, that they'd never get back.  He couldn't explain it but he understood beyond a shadow of a doubt that they'd never return home.   Why, and he wouldn't know the answers for months, he told his fears to the Betazoid psychologists was beyond his understanding, but it helped him settle things.

But for now, he frowned at the signals the picked up over the comms.  They were definitely Human in origin.  For last two days they'd been receiving transmissions from the direction of Earth.  Amazingly it was broadcasted in English, Russian, Spanish and several other earth-based languages. The transmissions were not being sent via subspace, and the information received was spotty.  But from what little details that were picked up suggested that there was some type of major conflict happening with the planet's government.  A general paranoia concerning aliens appeared to be the main theme, evident throughout the transmissions.  All evidences so far pointed toward a more repressive stance being initiated against its colonies-Earth colonies to be exact.   

"…Reporting.  The President has declared martial law and has activated the military to quell the Mars colony revolt by any means necessary.  We have exclusive video showing…"

"Mr. Sisko?"
    
    So intent was he in viewing the contents that he and the Comms officer failed to realize that his new Captain was waiting patiently behind him for almost fifteen seconds.  The Commander turned around quickly.  "Yes, Ma'am?"

"You seem very intent on those broadcasts.  Anything interesting?"

"Yes, " he responded.  "It seems that this Earth may be experiencing a revolution of some type.  The data is sketchy, but I believe that they have or intend to attack their Mars colony.  Apparently there is some sort of rebellion going on there and the Earth Government is trying to crush it.  I think they're bombing them into submission.

"Their own people?"  Her eyes looked strained.  This type of information did not bode well for the Federation ships and crew.   No doubt the crew of the _Enterprise-D_ was analyzing the same broadcasts   "We have a probe in the general area.  Direct it towards Mars and see what we can pick up.  We'll set up a conference with Picard and figure out what we want to do," she said quietly, her mind still digesting the information.  "Meanwhile, I have a job that I think you'll hate, but that I think you are uniquely qualified for."

She was smiling, he noticed.  That was always a bad sign when your Captain smiled at you in this way.  He should know, because he smiled the same way to those under his command when he wanted something particularly nasty done.   Wisdom told him to say nothing and look innocent, yet attentive.

"I have had both Klingons transferred over to this ship, I want you to acclimate them to this environment," she ordered, smiling as though the full weight of what she'd just said hadn't been fully realized in her brain. 

_Oh, Lord_.  "You want me to be a baby-sitter?" he asked, incredulous.   "To those animals?"

"They're two living beings Commander, with the same rights as you and I," she said quickly.  "They're trapped here the same as we are and I will not have them abandoned on some planet and discarded like they were some kind of beasts, as you called them," she added.  "'Do unto others', my mother told me more than a few times.  Picard and I came to an understanding concerning this," she said cryptically.

"Now, I bet that was an interesting conversation," he said to her.

"Yes.  It was."  She took a breath remembering the heated, no, volcanic conversation with Jean Luc over this.  "Twenty two years of fighting against the Klingons has made it mark.  You people don't know anything else but war.  The Prime Directive has been thrown to the wayside.  You've even made those planet cracker bombs," she murmured in disgust, "something never even considered just two decades ago."  The Alpha mark-three, antimatter planet cracker warheads filled her with loathing, even as she had two of her own now, donated by Picard.  "Billions on both sides have died.  If the Federation decided to surrender, just how long would it be before the war started back up?  Could we stand to be under the Klingon yolk?  I think not.  But, that's not the point here."

"The point is?"  He needed time to think.  This assignment was crazy.  How could one implement something like this?

"The point is," she continued, "that we need to change directions and regain what we have lost because of the war.   This means I start with my own crew both new and old.  My hatred for the Romulans is just as strong as yours for the Klingons.  But we have to get past that."

"And that's why you want me to take a Klingon under my wing?"  He looked at her as though she were as fruity as a nut cake.

"Actually Commander, I have at least two reasons why I'm picking you.  The first is that I trust that you will do the right thing.  I know this will be hard.  You are going to be my example to both crews on how to overcome.  The second is that you're as big as he is.  He won't intimidate you and you won't make the mistakes that someone who is intimidated would.  You've fought Klingons hand-to-hand before and that is something he will respect, even he hates your living guts," she added, smiling just as innocently as he.

"Thank you for your confidence," he said somewhat surprised at her reasoning.  "What if I have to kill him?"

"I will be disappointed with you, Benjamin.   May I call you that?"

"Yes, Ma'am."  She had never thought to call him that before.  Now she seemed more comfortable to do so.

"I would then consider you not as imaginative as I believe you are."

What did that mean?  "I try not to disappoint you, Captain."  

She moved over to look at the incoming communications involving this unknown Earth.  "There is another reason that I want you for this job."

"And that is?"

"I believe that they can make the adjustment on this ship, but I need an edge.  Your historical background as a part of a minority group, as they called it before WW3, is exactly where these Klingons are at now," she answered.  "You have had the background experience and will therefore have a better understanding of what they are about to go through with a crew populated mostly with Humans and a few other races that hated and distrusted them.  This is my edge."

That surprised him somewhat.  "Captain, racism has been eliminated from our culture for almost two hundred years, so I fail see where you're going with this."

"Benjamin, you may fool some of the people with this but not me," she said curtly.  "A friend of mine explained it to me years ago.  I am fully aware of what happened after Khan and World War Three."

He did the only thing he could do.  He smiled.  The woman was right, after all.  There was a tendency before the ascension of Colonel Green and the genetic supermen, for many people of color to be the first ones placed under suspicion, no matter what the situation.  The abuse was sometimes subtle, sometimes gross, but always present in one form or another, no matter how much it was denied or ignored by others.  Things began to turn around when Green's genocidal actions precipitated Earth's third world war.  In its aftermath, people began to finally understand that skin color wasn't the main problem anymore.  But the experiences were remembered and the lesson 'remember whom you're dealing with' had never been forgotten.  

"Point taken," he murmured.  "You're correct.  I will always remember who I am dealing with."

"Oh and in private," she said changing the subject completely.  "Please call me Rachel.  I don't want to stand too much on ceremony, not now.  I suspect that we will all have to become far closer to one another in the near future.  The prisoners will be transferred in one hour.  I also scheduled you for another appointment with the ship's counselor to get some extra pointers."  She saw the look that he gave her and laughed.  "Relax.  Everybody's going to get a turn."

Guinan stood in her private quarters looking out her small view-plate at stars that were at once familiar and completely alien at the same time.  She stretched herself outward using the gifts she along with her people, the El-Aurian possessed-and her 'otherness' that few other barely suspected-and felt…life in abundance.  Some of it was cold, cold and would bear close watching.  And some of it was hot with life and passion.  The Borg never developed here and the Q were so isolated that they had no clue about mere mortals.  _So much the better in this strange universe _she thought.  _One less unknown to deal with._

She understood that the time line had been somehow altered when the _Enterprise-C_, the _Ambassador_, she corrected herself, re-entered the future, but she didn't understand why the Organians had chosen not to interfere, a direct violation of their promise.  They should have prevented the war until cooler heads prevailed.  If they didn't interfere, then that meant the temporal distortion was more than simply a rip in time.   There was nothing simple about that 'incident' whatsoever.   Something else, some other factor had been at work. 

That made sense she mused.  The fact that the _Enterprise_-_C_ made it through a time warp appearing literally in front of her _Enterprise_ couldn't have been a coincidence.  So what really happened twenty-one days ago?  What engineered that distortion?  She knew those were questions that may never be answered. But she did have a theory and it fit as to why the Organians hadn't interfered.  A soft ring echoed in the room.   "Come in."

"I hope I'm not disturbing you, Ms future ambassador," Picard said standing at the doorway, looking things over before he went in.  "I needed to talk."

"Please," she said offering him a chair.  And don't call me 'ambassador' in my private quarters.   I know you," she said with an amused twinkle in her eye.  "You'll start calling me that forever no matter where we are and I will not have it.  Now, would you like something to drink?"

"Yes, please."  This was a point he would never even consider arguing about.  Guinan was Guinan.

The dark-skinned woman pulled out two glasses and filled them with a sparking clear liquid.  Picard drank deeply offered his glass out for more and repeated the process.

"It's called Mularian nectar, mixed with just a touch of Earth lemon." 

The drink had given him a relaxed feeling.  Now that they had more power expenditures allocated for the replicators, dining had improved by leaps and bounds.  "I don't know where to start," he said, as he now felt more comfortable.  "As you may have seen, Captain Garrett and I haven't been getting along as well as I'd hoped.  She seems intent on fighting me at every turn.  This problems with the Klingons-"

"She's trying to make a point," Guinan said, sounding like an elementary teacher, "which frankly I agree with.  We have twenty-two years of memories of lives that didn't exist, created by a force or forces unknown."

 That caught his attention.  "What do you mean forces?"

She explained her suspicions and watched Picard frown.

"So, you believe we're the victims of some sort of temporal cold war?"

"I suspect so.  It explains why the Organians choose not to interfere.  There are so many unexplained temporal disruptions in our quadrant that the Organians wouldn't dare interfere.  The repercussions would be unimaginable."  She took a sip of her drink, savoring every drop as though for the first time.  "Jean-Luc, can you imagine what would happen if photon torpedoes destroyed and damaged normal space with such abandon?  The whole universe would be a mess right now.  It's not as tender as some people think it is.  Fractures and temporal rifts and whatever, simply don't happen with such chaotic abandon.  There has to be a reason."

"There are a lot of things going on in the universe Jean Luc, which most of us have never even known about.  The war should never have happened but it did.  Someone precipitated it and someone else sent the _Enterprise_-_C_ into the future.  It was probably assumed that the ship-out-of-time would be destroyed.  But whether it was destroyed or not, wouldn't have mattered anyway, because these unknown manipulators would have succeeded in their mission.  I believe that that was to start a war between the two most powerful governments in the Alpha quadrant.  But someone else, a third party, directed it to us, in order for you to correct the timeline.  Someone who knew I was onboard this ship exactly at this time, so that I could warn you and correct the time flow.  But it didn't work and now…"

"And now, we're here," he finished.   That was it, he felt.  The game, finished.

"But," she countered, "the good point is that we're alive and have the _Ambassador_ along with us.  Her people and Tasha Yar should not be here.  But the point is, they are and Captain Garrett represents a living example of what the Federation should have been.  You need to follow her direction, regain what was taken away from us, and become that example again in this universe.  Don't fight her.  Learn or should I say re-learn what you have lost.  We need to learn from the people here also.  They are far stronger that they may first appear.  But whatever you choose to do.  It has to be soon."  

"We're lost, Guinan," he finally admitted.

"Yes we are, more so that you know.  I have two sets of memories Jean-Luc.  The life we should have lead is like an echo superimposing itself on my present life.  The 'echo' feels like decades while my current perceptions feels only about a month long.  It's very confusing."

"Madre-talk about temporal causality."  He hated temporal mechanics.  In fact, most people hated temporal mechanics, with the exception of Mr. Data.

"I hate psychic temporal mechanics," she said, adding to the confusion.  "You're here and there and in between, all at the same time.  And this has happened to me more than once.  For example, when did your people first meet the Klingons?"

Picard thought for a moment.  "There was a crash of a Klingon courier ship on Earth just before the first warp-driven _Enterprise_ left for its legendary exploration of the Galaxy.  If I remember correctly, Captain Archer ferried the courier to the Klingon homeworld."

"Well, Jean-Luc, I remember it differently," she said.  "Klingons never landed on Earth, they were met, for the first time, in deep space and they didn't look as they do now.  They looked much like Humans.  Only later, did they change to become what we know them as today.  But no one else noticed that difference!"  

"But we have records of our first Klingon contact.  The Klingon here is a perfect example of their species," Picard said uncomfortably.

"That is an interesting point," Guinan countered.  "What you've seen is not a lie, but a rearrangement of the truth by altered realities.  Klingons looked similar to Humans, but no one remembers.  Klingons also had no concept of what they now call honor.  But that's all you hear about."

"That's all one ever hears about them."  He fidgeted in his chair.  

"Reality has been changed at least three times that I can sense.   For example your Earth's world war three happened when?"

"In twenty fifty-three.  Colonel Green's genocidal war caused over six hundred million deaths."

"Well, I thought it happened much earlier, near the beginning of the twenty-first century not the middle of it.  And thirty seven million died, not six hundred million."  She watched carefully as Picard turned pale.  

"Here's another example.  Who had first contact with the Ferengi?"

"Yes," he said, he knew this one.  "It was Captain Archer of the very first _Enterprise_, the pre-_Akira _class.  My _Enterprise_ was the second ship to contact that species."

"Again, are you sure?" she asked him.  "I remember you being the very first Federation Captain to meet the Ferengi, even though I wasn't on the ship at that time."  The she added another stunner.  "Suppose I tell you that I believe that the Klingon prisoner who calls himself Worf should have always been on this ship, by your side?"

Picard's mouth fell open.  His look of contempt said it all.

"For some reason," she said.  "I keep seeing him and prune juice together."  She thought for a moment.  "Even the Romulans look different from what my 'echo' remembers. Apparently, the Alpha quadrant has been at the mercy of time-traveling fanatics whose actions changed reality whenever it suites them."

There was silence between the two of them for a short while, while both of them digested the implications of what she'd just implied.

Picard felt uncomfortable approaching the next part of the conversation.  "Guinan," he said softly.  "About Captain Garrett-she's rather, rather-"

"Unusual," Guinan answered for him.  "As in different?  As in, she's less uptight than you appear to be?  As in different command style?"  She smiled slightly.  
    
    He laughed.  "As in all of the above," he admitted.   He took another sip of drink.  "She's so different from what I'm used to.  The woman plays music on her bridge!"

"You don't like music?" Guinan asked.

"Yes, I like music," he yelled.  Almost.  "But it has no place on the bridge.  The nerve center of a starship demands one hundred percent concentration.  Music distracts from one's duty."

"It does?" Guinan asked.  

"It's not just the music, but the kind of music that she plays.  Her taste is well, almost provocative in a way.  I suppose that if one had to play something it would be somehow soothing."

"Soothing enough to make one fall into unconsciousness?"    

"You're trying to twist my word around, Guinan."  He was irritated now, but not enough to stop the conversation.

"From what I understand," she said, "her taste is as classical as yours."

"Oh, no," he countered deadly serious.  "Not like mine.  I love the classics. Bach, Handel, Vivardi, T'Pero of Vulcan, not-"

"Joe Sample?  Trania of New Mars?  India Arie?  Michael Jackson, before he had the breakdown?" she asked.  "Those are the classics.   I admit that I like the change.  It's less, how can I put it... oppressive?"

"What?" Picard snapped.  "My bridge is not oppressive.  It's the command bridge!" He took a violent slurp of his drink.  "Did you know that that woman actually dances on her bridge?"

"She dances?"  She smiled and said nothing more.

"Well, actually she gyrates slightly to the music," he admitted.  "It's very unseemly for a Captain to do that, on his or her bridge."

"Maybe she enjoys her work, her life?" Guinan suggested.

"And she expresses it by dancing in front of her crew?  How could the people who place their lives in her hands ever respect her command decisions?   The more he thought about it, the more he agreed with his own assessment.  "Impossible."

Guinan smiled and took a last sip.  It went down slowly.  "Oh, Picard," she whispered.  "You have it bad, don't you?"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three 

"**_Contact"_**

Commander Sisko had been sitting in front of Worf''s cell for the last hour simply looking at him, examining him as though he was some type of rodent. The large Klingon male returned the stare and both of them had eventually gotten comfortable simply looking at one another.  The Klingon had at first assumed that this was some type of Human challenge ritual and had determined that he would not be the first one to flinch in this strange form of battle.  And at first he was angry.   Other than to mention his name, the Human hadn't spoken to him directly and seemed to be trying to look into his soul.  But there was no overt challenge, so Worf was at a loss to explain this bizarre behavior.  Finally the Human spoke.

"Is it true that Klingons have honor?"
    
    Worf was surprised at the question.  Humans understood that a Klingon's life _was _honor.  It was impossible for them not to understand that point.  Maybe this one was especially dense.  "Klingons live for honor," he answered.

"I don't believe you," Sisko responded.  "If Klingons have honor why do they take pleasure in the destruction of helpless people?  Betazed was no threat to you."

"It was part of the Federation and as such a target, just as our farming community of Kast'ka was to you.  You destroyed that world without a second's thought."

Betazed had few defenses," Sisko countered.  "Kast'ka was an armed fortress."

"Then you were fools to allow it to remain so defenseless."

"And that 'foolishness' caused you to destroy ninety percent of the population?"

This was one of the great sore points of the war and a source of dishonor to many, many Klingons.  

"If I were in charge," Worf announced, "I would not have ordered its destruction."  That one mistake changed the course of this conflict and he hated that fact.  "Klingon warriors do not wage war on defenseless people."

"But one of your ships did explode an anti-matter weapon into the atmosphere of Betazed."

"The captain and crew were executed for their over zealousness."  Worf had been ashamed of that Captain's actions.  Not only was it unnecessary, but also it escalated the brutality of the war.  It precipitated the use of planet-destroying weapons on both sides.  Tens of billions were being killed instead of simply uncounted millions.  "The war took on a life of its own."

"Do you know why you are here?"  Sisko asked him changing the subject.

"We were transferred to this ship, in preparation of being interned on some unknown planet in this universe."

"Do you know why I am here?"

"You talk to me to build courage."  Worf didn't believe that for a second, but it did have a nice ring to it. "You are here to carry out that duty."

"Captain Garrett wanted you on this ship, Sisko said, completely surprising Worf.  "It's the same ship that sacrificed itself for the Narendra III colony.  She respected the Klingon people and didn't have twenty-two years of hatred built up in her, unlike us. She wanted me to let you know that if you had honor she would let you have freedoms on this ship."

"Then she is insane."

"No," Sisko said.  "She has honor. The question is, do you?" 

"What do you want me to say?"

"What your honor compels you to say."  Sisko went silent.  The ball was in Worf's court now.  

The Klingon thought for a second.  "I have honor.  My word _is_ my honor.  My war is over and we are loss in a strange unknown place.  Your Captain understands this more than we do.  On my honor, I will not anything that will cause damage to the ships or the crews while we are trapped here.  But if we make it home then remember, I am Klingon.  Now what will you and your honor offer in return?"

"Freedom on this ship.  The attempt at a working understanding of each other, a swift death if necessary, sights never before seen by anyone from our universe ever.  And maybe the truth of what's out there and why we're here."

"You are an optimist."

"No.  I'm a pessimist," he corrected.  "I don't think that this will work.  But I will try.  I guess that makes me more of an optimistic pessimist than a true pessimist."

He would have to think about this.  "What about B'Elanna?" he said changing the subject.

"She stays where she is for now."   By the scream that threatened to short out the defense field, Sisko understood that she'd heard him.   "Excuse me, Mr. Worf," he said as he placed his hands behind his back and strolled over the meter or so to face her cell.  "Were you trying to get my attention?"

She threw out a long, long string of curses.  He especially liked the comment about his crippled mother and a Terran dog.  That one he made a note to remember for future use.

"That is why you're still in this cell, Ms. B'Elanna," he whispered to her after she was spent.

"You Humans are all alike," she moaned.  

Although his faced remained a mask, that statement had surprised him.  All this time there was nothing but anger from her.  This was the first time he detected despair.  Interesting.  "If we were all alike Ms B'Elanna, then you would be floating out the nearest available airlock.  Don't presume to understand me.  Don't presume to like me.  And don't presume to insult me and expect to get out of this cell within the, let's say, next fifty years."

"I hate you."

"You hate yourself, woman."  He watched as her defiance turned into pure fear and something in his heart softened-just a little.  "You're keeping yourself a prisoner, B'Elanna."  Then he turned away.  

Returning back to Worf's cell he called to the security guards.  "Release him."  Then to the large Klingon," follow me."

_Freedom_!  The Klingon cautiously move away from the cell.  Sisko stopped him. 

"Your honor keeps your freedom.  As a Human, my word also means honor.  If you violate your honorable word, I will kill by any means necessary.  The Captain believes in the Klingons.  I don't.  But I do want to see Klingon honor in action.  Are you worthy?"

"As you Humans would say 'anything is possible'."  His smile was predatory, matching Sisko's.

**Two light years distant from Earth colony Proximal Three:**

"The stealth probe that we launched should enter Earth-space within the hour.  If fact, captured communications have already been quite fascinating.   Now, we'll get detailed information concerning the situation going on in that region of space."  

"Good.  We need to find out what's going on over there."

Onboard the bridge of the _Enterprise–D_, Commander Riker, sporting a beard and a touch of prematurely gray hair, took one last look at the communications from what the earth directorate portrayed as an alien influence attempting to subvert Humanity into what amounted to slavery.  "Lies," he muttered.  What he'd seen disgusted him.  "How did these people wind up in charge of Earth?"

"Unknown Commander," Data answered, even though the question was rhetorical in nature.  "However the circumstances, the fact is that the Earth Government authorized the bombing of Mar's domed city.  The death toll was significant."

"Yes," Riker agreed.  This entire situation made him livid.  He'd fought for the safety of Earth, his Earth ever since he was drafted into Starfleet and now they had a dilemma on their hands.  Both Federation ships were capable of functioning independently for several years, if necessary.  But if they couldn't get back to their home, they would have to settle somewhere and more and more this Earth wasn't looking too inviting at this point.  "And they won't stop there, not until all of their colonies are back under their control.  The question is what are we going to do about it?"

Picard's voice ranged over the comms system.  "All senior officers to conference room one in ten minutes."  

Decision time," Riker said as he and Data finished collecting the last of the information filtering in.

Captains Picard and Garrett, Commanders Riker and Castillo and Sisko, Lieutenant Commander Data and LaForge, and Lieutenants Yar and P'tvon of the _Ambassador_, took their seats just as Guinan walked into Conference Room One onboard the _Enterprise_.  Several of them looked up in surprise at her presence here.  She just smiled and sat next to Picard.

"Everyone knows why we're here," Picard started.  "A decision that will affect our futures is about to be made be made in this room.  We have intercepted several communiqués from Earth.  It seems that the Orion and Proxima Three colonies have broken away from the totalitarian Earth government and that government has decided to bring them back into the fold by, as Commander Sisko would say, any means necessary.  Already the Mars colony has been attacked and thousands of innocent people injured and killed.  Also, several warships have been dispatched to other colonies as well, to persuade them by force of arms, that resistance is futile.  The question is what, if anything, should we do about it?"  

Captain Garret began.  "The Prime Directive applies here in this universe.  Make no mistake, I hate playing fast and lose with the Prime Directive.  We shouldn't interfere with this government.  But because of our unique situation, our choices like our resources are limited.   Either we ally ourselves to the Earth government, or to the colonies, or just simply leave and find somewhere else to live and try to get back home on our own."  She looked around at everyone for emphasis.  "People, we're only two ships.   Looking at the big picture, that's nothing.  But I will not ally myself to the Earth with the state that it's in."

"I agree," Riker said.  "Our people would be in danger if we did that.  I am referring to how these Terrans would react to our non-Human crew.  With their attitude, who knows what they would do?  At the same time, I hate running from a fight like this."

"Their leader, a President Clarke, has just declared Marshall Law.  Their ISN information-news network was just more or less blown, up just as they were trying do an 'expose' on the what's actually happening."  Commander Sisko grew even more sober.  "We may not be able to help the planetary colonies," he said.  "But here is one place that they seem to be saving for last.  It's a place called _Babylon Five_.  They're the ones spouting the most rhetoric about the illegal activities going on Earth.  Evidently this space station has more firepower than the other colonies and the Earth Government is going to have a fight on its hands, which is why it's last on their list of targets."

"Secure everything first, cut off any possibilities of rescue or support, then surround and capture."  Picard looked at Geordi and P'tvon.  "What is the state of our ships if we go into battle?"  He already knew but wanted it confirmed anyway.  Besides if there were something new he wanted to be aware of it before committing his and Garrett's ships into a conflict.  

"We've done a lot of repairing and upgrading to both ships and they're up to specifications," Geordi replied.  The only good thing about our situation is that we had a chance to really go over both of them with a fine-toothed comb.  Life support, propulsion, weapons, even the meal replicators are back to producing real food instead of those god-forsaken R-rations."

Almost everyone smiled at that revelation; even the Vulcan representative's eyes twinkled.

"In addition," P'tvon stated," the _Enterprise-C_ engines will maintain an increased power output and cruising speed consistent with warp eight point seven, two points above specs."  The _Enterprise-D_, the more powerful of the two starships had a cruising speed of warp nine point two however, since both ships would most likely fly together, the slower speed wouldn't be a problem.  "Two of our shuttles have been retrofitted with heavier shields, phaser and photon torpedo launchers.  And two of our eight combat Runabouts have been transferred to the _Enterprise-C_.  But the _Enterprise-D_ still has the USS_ Yeager_."  

The _Yeager_ was the new S_aber_-class fighter with a tiny engineering compliment of twenty personnel, who would reconstruct the ship at the completion of its journey.   It was being transported to Renga two-in pieces-before the unscheduled universal stop.  "The engineers are in the process of putting it together as they have the time.  It's actually longer than the old C_onstitution,_ although not as large. If we start reconstructing it now, it should be ready in about three weeks."

Picard stood up.  "The crews seem to working together well.  They're just waiting for a decision, by us.  It is my opinion," Picard said, "that our best way home may be by allying ourselves to this Space station.  It will be beneficial for the survival of us both."

"Agreed."   Rachel sat back, obviously concerned about this stretching of the Prime Directive but definitely weighing the choices available to them

Guinan took all of this in. They had essentially agreed that the _Babylon Five_ colony appeared to be their best hope under the situation.  They were right.  They just didn't know it yet.  "You all seem to be in agreement," she said.  "The question is, will you get there in time?"

"In time for what?" Rachel pressed.  Picard placed a lot of confidence in this woman.  Why, she didn't know yet.  But she did seem to be aware of a lot more than she should be.

"To keep it from falling into the hands of its enemies, and to make new friends, of course," she replied cryptically.  Rachel noticed the way this woman was smiling…

"Let us hope it actually works out that way."  Turning to Data: "What do we know about this _Babylon Five_?"

"Very little, so far.  The station is located in the Epsilon Eridani star system, ten point four-nine light years Earth relative.  That corresponds to our universe's coordinates exactly.  It is a standard K-two class star, luminosity zero point four of Earth standard with an apparent visual magnitude of plus three point seven-two, receding velocity away from Earth at seventeen kms per second."

"Very close comparison to ours," Castillo murmured.  "At warp six, we can be there in nine hours."  At warp six, both ships would be traveling at three hundred ninety-two times the speed of light or four hundred twenty-one billion kilometers per second. 

"Number One, direct the closest probe to that area," Picard ordered. "I want to make sure what we will be dealing with."

The dynamics of the meeting continued on for another twenty minutes.  The bottom line was that they were ready.      

As the officers left, Picard requested that Data and Riker to remain behind.  "Ensign Crusher to Conference Room One."

A few moments later, a young man about seventeen years old, the son of the chief medical officer entered nervously looking around, unused to being summoned by the Captain.

"Yes sir?" he asked, trying his best not to shake.

"Relax, Ensign," Commander Riker told him.

"Thank you, sir," the young man gulped.  He wasn't nervous he told himself.  Not really.  He was seventeen years old now.  He could handle it.

"Ensign Crusher," Picard began.  "You're here because we want to acknowledge your exemplary performance of your duty.  The pressured you've endured and your ability to continue work under extreme stress throughout your tour on the _Enterprise_ has not gone unnoticed."

"Thank you sir," the boy said beaming.  A touch of praise from the Captain was worth everything to the young man. 

"We're going to assign you to Mr. Data," Riker said.  "You've shown an aptitude for science and engineering and now that we have a little respite from the war we're going to concentrate more on your education."

"However," Picard added. "There will be some changes."

"Sir?"

Picard pulled out a small box, handed it to Wesley.  "Congratulations Ensign Wesley Crusher.  You are now a full bridge officer, Ensign, with all the duties, responsibilities and benefits thereof."

"Congratulations," Riker said smiling.  "You've more than earned it."

"Congratulations, Ensign," Data echoed.   

"I suspect that your mother might want to know abut this," Picard suggested to the beaming not-quite man.

"Yes, sir.  I think she would, sir," the Ensign responded.

"Well, I suggest you let her know."

Wesley smiled, saluted and left, almost running out the room.

Picard sighed.  "I wish I could do that more often, Number One.  I wish that he wasn't here on this ship.   He should have been in school, worrying about girls, not here on a warship fighting to keep us alive."

"He'll do well enough with his mother here.  And then he has you as a father figure."

Picard looked at his smiling XO.  "Rubbish.  I'm his Captain."

"Yes sir."

"It's time we moved on and deal with the situation at hand," Picard said briskly.   Riker's smile was irritating him, to say the least.  

"Yes, sir," he answered still smiling.

Back onboard the _Ambassador_, Captain Garret sat down, hit a switch and started speaking.  "Everyone, it's time.  The '_Ambassador_' is ready to take on all comers.  We're about to explore unknown territory.  Stay sharp and remember that what each one of us does, will reflect on everyone else, so I want you at your best."  She turned off ship-wide communications.  "Mr. Castillo, if you please."

Prepare for warp," he said. "Plot a course to Epsilon Eridani, warp six."  Beside him, stood Benjamin Sisko at tactical.  "The board shows green."

Just as both ships prepared to go to warp, a jump point formed, a whirlpool of swirling light defining hyperspace from normal space.  Two Earth Alliance Ships destroyers, the EAS _Rochester _and_ Pournelle_ spilled forth, battle ready.  Long-range sensors had detected two highly unusual blips near the Proxima III colony currently under pacification, configuration unknown, possibly heading in the general direction of _Babylon Five_, Earth Force's next and most dangerous military objective.  Both Destroyers registered the unknown bogies, but were unable to identify either ship.

"This is the Earth Alliance Ship _Rochester_.  You have entered a restricted area under the jurisdiction of Earth Government.  Your ship's identification is designated in English," the voice said, sounding somewhat perplexed by the strange ships in front of him.  "But your configuration is unknown.  Identify yourself."

"Audio only," Garrett said to her communications officer.  "This is the Federation Starship _Ambassador_.  How may we help you?"  _Lord_ she thought, _I sound like one of those ancient telephone operators. _ Continuing: "Yes, the lettering is English but we are not from Earth.  _Your Earth _she added silently_. "A_nd we are just passing thru."

There was silence for a moment.

"Are you from some sort of lost colony?"

"Something like that," she answered evasively.  

There were a few more moments of silence over the comms.  Then the voice returned, louder and with more authority.  "Even though your ship cannot be properly identified by our records, the language markings identifies your ship originating from Human origin and therefore subject to Earth Gov rules.  You are suspected of carrying illegal contraband and as such you have violated Sovereign Earth territory rules and regulations by carrying those controlled substances and contraband.  Your ships will be boarded and impounded until you can be properly identified and processed.   Any resistance from you will be considered hostile and we will respond accordingly."   

Several small single manned fighters launched from the Destroyers, vectoring towards the Federation Starships.

Garret ordered the communications cut.  Did her ship actually look like a smuggler's pirate vessel?  Couldn't they come up with a better excuse?  She felt vaguely insulted.  It was time to go. "Inform _Enterprise_ that we are leaving."

"_Enterprise_ acknowledges and concurs, Ma'am."

"Very good, Commander."  She opened the channel once more.  "_Rochester_, nice meeting you.  Good bye."  She turned to the helmsman a young male Betazoid.  "Helmsman, engage full impulse until we are out of range of their sensors then go to warp." the Captain ordered.

Both starships, one light second apart, jumped to full impulse.  They easily outran their pursuers and once out of range both vessels went to warp.  They blurred and disappeared as distortion physics took over. 

Instead of an anticipated fight with those smallish vessels, the _Ambassador_ and _Enterprise_ simply left. The crew onboard the EAS Destroyers were stunned at the speed in which both ships moved.  There was no way to chase them and how they simply disappeared was unknown.  Their acceleration to light speed was detected, but after that-

It was believed that these ships had stealth capabilities since no jump point trigger had been registered by either Destroyer.   In any case, this unknown factor needed to be compensated for.  And since they were Human ships, that kind of technology could be very useful-especially in the light of the Minbari menace.  Conferring with Command Central the pursuit orders were given and both Destroyers jumped to join the others headed towards _B5_.  If that was where they were going, then their people just may need the extra help.

An hour later, Captain Garrett sitting in her chair in her Ready room, prepared herself for her visitor.  She wanted this done right so that there would be no misunderstanding.  The door chimed.  She took a breath and put on her Captain's mask.

"Come in."

The large Klingon entered followed by her equally large security officer.  Internally, she smiled as she looked at the two males wearily watching each other, each pretending to be relaxed in one another's presence. 

"Mr. Worf," she began.  "I find myself in a very unique position here.  Normally as a prisoner of war, you would be confined to the brig until we could place you at a suitable internment facility.  However, less than a month ago, my time, I found myself fighting to save the Narendra III colony from a Romulan raiding party.  My ship, this ship," she said spreading her hands to take in the entire starship, "was shot up, my crew all but destroyed, and what was left was sent to this future where I find myself in the middle of a conflict with the Klingon Empire.  First, I'm trying to save you and the next instant; I'm trying to keep from being killed by your friends and family members.  What is wrong with this image?" 

"The Federation and Klingons have been at war for twenty-two years."

"A war that shouldn't have occurred in the first place!"  She was almost livid now.  "I talked to the woman Guinan, you'll meet her soon.  She told me that this war we're talking about shouldn't have happened.  She also informed me that some outside force interfered to bring this war about.  Think about it.  A Federation ship attempts to save a Klingon colony.  The ship is lost and a rumor started by person or persons unknown states that the ship ran away from the fight causing the Klingons to scream loss of honor.  But instead of attacking the Romulans who started this in the first place by killing thousands of Klingons-A KNOWN FACT! -You decide to start a war with the Federation because of a rumor that may or may not have been true?  My crew died for you people.  What is wrong with you?" she screamed.

She carefully watched the Klingon called Worf.  He looked like a trapped animal.  

"The Duras clan pushed for the war with the Federation."   He had heard rumors that the High Council knew of the Romulan attack and its root cause, but they felt that a war with them would be too great a conflict.  "The politicians believed that a small conflict with the Federation would appease the people's thirst for vengeance.  It was believed that the Federation would not have the stomach for a prolonged battle.  The conflict would be over, the people given a defeat-able enemy, eventual reparations would be made, and politics satisfied."  The resistance by the Federation was unexpectedly intense.  Instead of a small conflict, a blood-war resulted.  "We quickly discovered that Starfleet intended to win and honor demanded that we do no less.  The war was hard on my people as well.  Many of our people were considering Federation demands to end the war."

That revelation surprised both her and Sisko.  Each side had been so damaged that the war may not have been able to continue.  "Twenty-two years of meaningless war.  And we're not there to stop the carnage…if anyone is even left."

"What do you intend to do with us?" he demanded.  Several things came to his mind, none of which he cared for.

"From what I understand, both our people have been duped," she answered.  "It would be stupid of me, even dishonorable of me to wage war on two people who have been used just much as I have been.  I have no intentions of continuing this fight.  "Especially," she added for emphasis, "since I was the one who got blamed for the war in the first place.  B'Elanna is a special case.  She will have to be eased into life onboard this ship-if she agrees.  As for you, I am offering you limited freedom on this ship, conditional to your attitude and actions.  The more I trust your honor, the better things will get."

"Do your question my honor?"  His voice exuded danger. He was very aware of Sisko's subtle change in stance. 

"I'm the Captain of this ship. I question everything about you," she barked.  "But I will not abandon you to the fates.  I intend to finish what I started.  Work with me.  Let me prove to you that I have honor also."

It was an interesting proposition.  He had to think about it.  Humans really were insane. 

"What would I do on this –ship?"

"First of all, take a bath," she said.  "It isn't good to betray your position from several decks away.  Then we'll talk some more.  Commander Sisko will provide quarters for you.  You will be under guard, until I say otherwise.  Other than that, your freedom improves as I see you change."

"Is that all?"

"No," she said.  "When I had my talk to Guinan she said that you belonged on the _Enterprise_ and were part of the crew.  Why, she didn't know, but you we're supposed to be part of that crew.  I want that to be true in some way.  Our timeline is lost to us.  Now we make our own destiny."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four   

                "_Black Night, Shining Stars"_
    
    ****

**The_ Babylon Five_ Space station:**
    
    Ambassador Delenn, desperate for her friend and for the fate of _Babylon Five_ exited the massive space station in her private yacht and headed directly for the jump gate.  Once in hyperspace, she intended to get to her people and convince her fellow members of the Minbari leadership, called the Grey Council, to help fend off the Earth Alliance Ships sent by President Clarke to take over _Babylon Five_, no matter what the cost.  And that cost would be high, she knew but she didn't have a choice.  She didn't understand the details, not completely, but _Babylon Five_ was important, so important that it would be needed in the war to come.  It would be their last best hope for peace.  So far, it was failing in its purpose, but maybe it could become something more–if it were given the chance.

Her ship almost entered the jump gate when her scanners detected something small and she veered off.  Whatever it was it was in stealth mode, barely visible even to her ship's sophisticated scanners.  The readings were extremely unusual and the stealth mode at first appeared similar to her people's technology, but it wasn't.  It was definitely alien in origin.   She couldn't lock onto it.  Curious, she vectored towards the target to examine the small probe in more detail. 

"Of all the times for the Universe to play games," she said to herself.  She went after the probe, which immediately pulled away.  She chased for a moment trying to destroy it.  The class V probe accelerated to unbelievable speed and disappeared.

"Delenn!  Are you all right?" the voice asked over the comms.  The voice had a very stressed, worried tone to it.

"Everything is okay, John."  She didn't mention the probe.  He had enough problems and she'd wasted six minutes she didn't have.  Six minutes wasn't much, but if John and _Babylon Five_ were to be saved, every minute counted.  Quickly she reversed course, entered the activated jump gate and was gone.  

Those six minutes were destined to change everything. 

"Reduce to warp three, " Picard ordered.  It was his intention not to simply appear on their doorstep, something that just might matters worse during a first contact situation, especially now when trigger fingers were itchy.  Communication was suggested, but it had been decided by both Captains that they should let the probe do a little more work before they entered _Babylon Five_ space.  The plan decided upon would be determined by the conditions when they approached.  If peaceful, then both ships would come in together.  If not, then a pincher movement would be the action implemented. 

The fact that the probe had been detected a few hours earlier came as somewhat of a surprise.  The stealth probe, following established programming, went full stealth and went to warp to escape its detector.  Then it returned, continuing its observation.

To the crew, the images that it sent back weren't very inviting.  The _B5_ station was armed and active.  Several larger warships and a multitude of smaller single manned fighters were cruising the area.  Two more large warships suddenly exited the 'stargate' and the images were captured and transmitted back to the Fed cruisers.

"It must be two more friendlies," Tasha said to Commander Riker while continuing her detailed scan.  Their transmissions have changed…I believe its they're changing to a 'friend or foe' recognition code."

"Do we have the code"? he asked, looking at the data himself.

"Yes, sir," she answered.  "I have it locked and passed it on to the _Ambassador_."

"Good.  Captain Picard to the Bridge."

Picard left his ready room, straightening his jacket as he came out.  Sitting in his chair, he straightened it once more and his eyes locked onto the large view-screen in front of the bridge.

"Status."

"They're preparing for something big.  We may be too late."

"Sir," Tasha said.  "The object we saw earlier is definitely a stargate jump system.   Two of their warships just appeared in _B5_ space."

"Interesting.  I wonder how it works and can we track or detect the ships using such a technology?"

Data turned to answer that question.  "It may be possible to track ships utilizing that type of faster than light methodology, but it will take some time to calibrate the sensors to detect such movement accurately." 

"A project for the immediate future, Mr. Data and Mr. Crusher."

"Yes, sir," they both said in unison. He could see the boy smiling at the prospect of that project.

"Sir," Tasha said.  "Captain Garret is hailing us."

"On screen," he ordered.  "Yes, Captain?"

"Check your probe."

Her image dissolved as the images transmitted from the probe resolved to show a large fleet of ships exiting the stargate.  A few moments later, weapons fire was everywhere.  

The enemy ships looked identical to the defending ships, but having their own unique 'friend or foe' identification transmissions. 

"That's our queue.  How long?"

"Fifteen minutes at warp eight."

Picard almost sighed.  Fifteen minutes might be too late.  He was going to have to push it.  

"Make it so," he ordered.  "Maximum warp.  Red alert.  Battle stations."

Captain Picard?"  It was Garrett. "We'll be two point five minutes behind you.  Let's follow the plan and good hunting."

"Thank you," he said turning away from the screen.  "Let's see if we can save some survivors, Mr. Crusher.  Engage."

**Hyperspace jump gate next to _Babylon Five_:**

Senior Captain Terrell Drake, commander of the _Evanston_, and Group Leader for the second attack wave looked increasingly agitated as the battle for _Babylon Five_ continued.  Being assigned rearguard seemed somehow shaming to him especially since it was assumed that _B5_ would fall rather quickly, being overcome by the first wave of four Destroyers and support craft led by the _Agrippa._  His task force was assigned as a backup for any unforeseen  problems that _B5 _might have up their sleeves. They were about a half hour behind Task Force Alpha, coming in hard from their pacification of Proxima III.  The fight for _B5 _had been worse than anyone expected and he intended to end it here and now.  The traitors on the _Alexande_r were still alive but the _Churchill_ had just rammed into a Destroyer destroying both ships.  The point of fact was that the first strike team had failed in their pacification of _Babylon Five_ with all of the line ships being destroyed.  The breeching pod attempt had been judged a failure since the station was still defending itself.  On top of that, reports had indicated a strange whitish-looking alien ship had stopped just short of the battle a few minutes before his task force would make the jump, as though watching some sort of spectator sport.  It had been tentatively identified as one of the same ships the _Rochester_ and _Pournelle_ had been tracking, heading for _Babylon Five_.  Their standing orders were to disable and bring the alien ship for further study if possible. Those two EAS Destroyers had joined his little armada just before they reached the jump point.  He welcomed them although this was now overkill.  

President Clarke was correct about the aliens in general.  They were like scavengers, just waiting to snatch some scraps from the battle.  Well, that wasn't going to happen on his watch.  He intended to make an example for all to see.  If only they'd gotten there sooner, they wouldn't have lost so many ships over a space station.  On the other hand, when Earth Force chased down the small ship it would send a message for all to see that Earth was no one's plaything. 

The five EAS ships and Breeching Pod exited the jump gates and a moment later, the Captains found themselves appalled by the devastation.   Their whole fleet had been scattered or destroyed.  The _Agrippa_ and the _Roanoke_ were gone.  But the other side had suffered as well, and was in no condition to fight a second round against fresh ships.  

Saddened and enraged that his people had suffered such loss, Captain Drake contacted the _B5 _taskforce.  "_Babylon Five_, under the authority from President Clark, you are ordered to surrender the station.  All senior officers are under arrest.  If you resist, we will use force."  He closed the communications link.  
    
    He hoped that they put up some type of resistance.  It wouldn't be much but he planned to make an example of these people, as per Clarke's suggestion.  Resistance had to be stamped out and this takeover would solidify his power and those meddling aliens would never interfere with Earth again.

In _Babylon Five's_ command center, Lieutenant Corwin had been surprised that they had withstood the attack by President Clark's war machine.  The _Alexander_ had survived but the _Churchill_ had been severely damaged then crashed into an enemy Destroyer demolishing both ships.   Captain Sandra Hiroshi's last words had been that primary systems were hit and there were fires on all decks.  The majority of enemy _Thunderbolt _Star Furies had been disabled or destroyed and the station itself was still intact.  The first Breeching Pod had attached itself to _B5_ but the invaders had been checked and defeated by the Narn and Security forces.  Like everywhere there had been heavy fighting and many, many deaths.  It was a brutal slaughter on both sides.

He thanked God that Commander Susan Ivanova had been able to eject from her damaged Star Fury in time and was still alive.   He also thanked God that the fighting was over because his forces couldn't have lasted much longer.  Scans had detected a frigate-sized ship of unknown configuration sitting at the edge of the fighting, apparently scanning the _Churchill_ just before it crashed.   He had no idea as to how it got there without his detecting it.  One moment there was nothing there and the next a very large ship was at their front door.  It just simply appeared.   He was about to order a detailed scan when all of a sudden the jumpgate activated and several more of Clark's warships slipped into normal space.  He'd muttered a quick 'Oh no,' without even realizing it.   He looked towards his Captain silently awaiting orders.  Captain Sheridan sighed, thinking hard as to what his next plan would be. He had the look of a desperate man, which of course was exactly what he was.

Onboard the_ Evanston_, the communications officer expected and received an answer to his Captain's hail.  But he was looked perplexed and somewhat surprised by what came over the radio link.

"Sir?  We're receiving a hail."

"So.  What is it?" he snapped.  "Are they surrendering?"  He hoped it wasn't true because he was already feeling vaguely disappointed. 

"We're having trouble with the video feed, but it's from the white ship."  Comms piped it thru.

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard onboard the USS _Enterprise_," the voice said.  "_Babylon Five_ is under our protection.  You will stand down and leave _Babylon Five_ space or we will open fire and evict you from this area.  Respond."
    
    How dare they interfere with this mission!  Irritated, Captain Drake punched his comm-link.  "Negative.  We have authority here.  Do not force us to fire on you,_ Enterprise_."  That was an Earth name he realized.  Earth Intelligence was correct in their assessment.  This may very well be a Human-run vessel.  Who was this 'Captain' Picard?  Logic suggested that this was one of Sheridan's secret weapons.
    
    To his navigator and weapons officers: "Proceed and target that ship if they even twitch."  Interference would not be tolerated.   

"Affirmative, sir."

As the Captain requested readout of the ship from tactical, he found the analysis impressive, but strange.  How Sheridan's people managed to build a ship of that size without anyone getting wind of it was a mystery.  But one thing was clear; that configuration was something no Human mind would produce.  It was designed as a large saucer with three pylons, one large and two small connected by struts of various sizes.  The overall saucer shape suggested a cobra with its hood spread.  The lettering was clearly in English, USS _Enterprise_ _NCC-1701-D_.  There appeared to be no thrusters and how it moved was a mystery.  The overall mass of the ship was four hundred meters smaller than a heavy _Hyperion_-class destroyer.  It was six hundred forty-one meters in overall length and there appeared to be no visible weapons ports open that they could tell.  Some sort of distortion field was reflecting his _Omega_ class Destroyer's deep scans.  Its Captain sounded Human but it was clearly some type of deception, most likely by Sheridan's people.  If he was Human, then he was another traitor.  Well, it was not going to work.   Already his Breeching pod was heading towards the_ Babylon _station and other than this one little alien ship, a battered _B5_, the remains of the _Churchill _and a few Star Furies there was nothing to stop him and his five Destroyers from accomplishing his goal.

He opened the comms channel again.  "_Enterprise_, you will surrender your vessel immediately or we will disable or destroy it."   He decided to make this Picard sweat by calling his bluff.  Without waiting, he switched to inner-fleet comms.  "Open a channel to our fleet," he ordered.

"Channel open, Sir."

"To all ships," Drake announced.  "The _Evanston _and _Rochester_ will neutralize the _Enterprise_ threat.  To the _Nimrod _and _Pournelle,_ subdue the _Alexander, _and _Lenmark_ escort the Breeching Pod to _B5_ and give it cover.  All ships will converge on _B5_ after we have completed our initial tasks.  Let's make this happen people."

"Lieutenant Hung, steer us to that Captain Picard's ship.  I want it out of the way as soon as possible."  The Captain of the _Evanston_ fully expected the ship to turn tail and run.  And if not, then two to one was never good odds for someone to play with.  "Fire as soon as you get into range."

"Targeting."

"Sir," the radar officer said, his voice raised to indicate the threat he was not perceiving. "They're moving towards us."          

Captain Drake looked at the small ship growing larger in his window by the second.  "So be it.  Lock on and fire as soon as we're in range."   It was a shame that they would have to shoot holes in such a pretty ship, but when you played with fire, you got burnt.

A small fleet of Star Furies prepared to engage the _Alexander,_ its defenders and _B5_.  Another group of the small one-man fighters flew towards the _Enterprise_ ship with the support Destroyers and prepared to shoot it to bits. If there were anything left then the science labs on Earth would have a good time researching the pieces.  Fifty-two millimeter pulse cannons and twin heavy lasers blasted from the _Evanston_, impacting on the _Enterprise-D's_ shields just before the Federation battleship began to move more rapidly than it had any right to.

When Captain John Sheridan, head of _Babylon Five_ saw the next wave of attack ships enter _B5_ space his heart sank.  There was no way to win this one.  His ships had been depleted, its crew exhausted.  The _Churchill_ had been lost and _B5's_ weapons needed time to cool and recharge.  The internal fighting had been quelled but it would be impossible to continue the battle.  He was being forced to call upon help from the Great Machine of Epsilon III, which was something he didn't want to do.  

This was nothing like the Earth-Minbari war where who fought whom was clearly defined as 'us verses them'.  This was 'us versus us'; everyone you killed was someone you knew, just as Major Ed Ryan commander of the _Alexander_ had said earlier.   These were people who wore the same uniforms, ate the same food, laughed at the same jokes and upheld the same Constitution.  

The five new Destroyers had broken formation to converge on the station and the _Alexander_ from different directions when a powerful radio beam cut thru communications.  

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard onboard the USS _Enterprise_," the voice said.  "_Babylon Five _is under our protection…"  

Sheridan watched intently as the video feed showed an image of a bald-headed, very serious-looking Human male, in an obviously military uniform he'd never seen before presenting an ultimatum.  Who was this person? And that ship had lines that he'd never imagined.  Where were the engines?  A few moments later, the enemy Command ship and a fellow Destroyer were locked in combat with the strangely beautiful white ship.  And it was clear they were going to have their hands full.   He didn't know who this Picard was but this possible ally had just helped his odds a little.

That took some of the pressure off and Sheridan immediately ordered that _B5's_ defensive batteries support the _Alexande_r and all functional Star Furies were to aid also to blunt the enemy attacks on the crippled _Alexander_.  It was clear however that another problem was rapidly making itself known.  The second breeching Pod was making it's way towards the station along with the support of a small Destroyer providing escort.

Captain Anita Bryzski angled the newly designed, _Invader Two_ class Breeching Pod to a point away from the first failed strike area.  With any luck, her marine's contingent would hit a less well-defended area, taking the pressure off of the primary strike team and securing _Babylon Five_.  The _Lenmark _was an older _Hyperion _warship but it was doing its job protecting her fast-moving ship from _B5_ counter fire.  She was responsible for the safety of her one forty-five men and women and she took her job deadly seriously.  Even as she headed for the space station, her eyes moved towards the saucer- shaped alien ship.  She smirked slightly, and then gasped in appreciation of the spectacle, as the _Evanston_ and _Rochester_ unleashed a brutal volley of plasma beams and missiles towards it.  _Better it than her_, she thought.  

A second later, she involuntarily gasped again.  That ship had withstood the assault, in fact had moved so fast that she wasn't even sure if the EAS weapons had struck it and was now returning fire of its own.  The _Rochester_ had been brutally hit with some type of energy weapon and was starting to list before she lost visual.  Over the radio, she heard frantic instructions for counter strikes on the alien and requests for the _Pournelle_ to break off from the wounded _Alexander_ and help the _Evanston _against this alien vessel.  

Bryzski was two thousand kilometers from her target site when her co-pilot reported a second unidentified target bearing down on them from out of nowhere at close to three quarters light speed, decelerating hard on their tail.  Nothing moved that fast or slowed down that quickly, so she at first assumed that that report was from equipment failure.  Anita was about to have her Tactical Officer confirm the report when moment later, she was jerked out of her seat by something that felt like a grappling hook. 

"What happened?" she demanded, even as she increased thruster power.

"Something grabbed us!"

"There's nothing in the area that could do that without tearing out their entire grappling apparatus from their ship!" she countered.  Then she saw it-a second alien ship, just barely visible in the distance and her blood ran cold. Scanners indicated that it was slightly smaller than the other one but it was obvious that this ship was a powerhouse, too.  

It had to be a magneto-tractor beam of some type, but the power of the pull astounded her as her ship's momentum dropped from eight thousand KPS to zero even though the thrusters were still firing.

Somehow it was pulling them away from the station despite her shoving the thrusters to full power in order to break free.  How they were doing this, she had no clue.  No one could detect any sort of cabling or magnetic force beam influencing the Pod. 

"Sir," her co-pilot said.  "The _Lenmark's_ Furies are engaging the second ship.  They're firing now."  The co-pilot also locked onto the enemy ship with its small laser defense system.  When the _Lenmark_ had a clear line of fire then he would give whatever help he could to disable that ship and free their vessel.

The Furies opened up with everything they had.  Nevertheless, to their dismay, the beams never even touched the ship.  The crew of the breeching pod listened in shock, then horror as one after another, each panicked pilot fell silent.  Their ships faded from existence every time the Federation ship fired its energy beam.  Their frantic evasive patterns did nothing to keep them from being hit.  It never missed, not once.   Both crews watched, horrified,  as the second white ship used its beam weapons to vaporize all six of the _Lenmark's _Furies and the other nine supporting fighters in a matter of seconds.  

Onboard the _Ambassador_, Captain Garrett smiled grimly at the fifteen prisoners trapped and unconscious in the specially designed, darkened brig.  It was evident that these people had never developed transporter technology and she wanted to literally keep them in the dark about it as much as possible.  Anesthetic gas overcame them the instant they materialized in the brig so they would have no real clue as to what had happened to them.  Their spacesuits lay next to them, separated by the transporters during transit.

"Captain," Commander Sisko said.  "The smaller ship is going to blow their engines if they can't get free.  The engines are redlining now."

"Target their engines and disable them, just enough."  She had intended to swing them away from the station with their engines intact, but that was not possible now.  The phasers touched the Pod and the engines went out like a light.  

In the meantime the other warship was closing in fast on the non-moving Federation vessel.  Energy weapons powered up and scans locked onto the _Ambassador's_ saucer section.

"They're firing," Sisko reported.  He had locked phasers onto their attacker.

The ship fired a combination of heavy lasers and missiles all of which hit near the bridge section of her ship.   The _Enterprise-C_ rocked slightly from the particle beam blast, its shield dissipating the heat and energy easily.  

"No damage.  Shields reduced three percent."

Seeing that its attack had no visible effect, Garrett continued to watch the _Lenmark_ prepared to swing around for another volley from its main weapons even as its secondary batteries were firing on the Starship.

"Tell them to stand off and surrender," Garrett said.

The _Lenmark_ responded by firing a salvo of missiles at her ship.

"Target engineering and weapons only," she ordered.  "Fire."

Bright beams of phased energy, reduced by thirty-percent, connected briefly from ship to ship.  The phaser weapon sliced off a small portion of the _Lenmark's_ engines.  The unshielded vessel lost power and began to drift almost immediately.  Several small explosions were seen and soon the ship was dead in space.  Internal lights winked out.  Several ejection pods were seen exiting the ship.

"Nicely done.  Thank you, Commander."  Garrett viewed the screen with a whimsical satisfaction.  The destroyer was seriously damaged, but life support still functioned although precious little else did.  It was so delicate!  

"They have causalities throughout the ship.  Shall we offer assistance?"

No," she answered.  "Not until this is over." 

The _Ambassador_ used the tractor beam to sling the Pod back towards the jumpgate.  There was no weapons fire from the Pod. 

Captain Drake, bleeding from several superficial wounds and choking on smoke from damaged systems, gritted his teeth and ordered gunnery to continue firing on the _Enterprise-D_.  The _Rochester_ had fired at the same time as his people and instead of hitting the alien ship, it had simply moved out of the way with a grace that frankly, stunned him and his entire crew.  He was sure that at least one of his missiles had hit however target aquisition had been unsure.  But they were all sure as to what happened next.  The alien ship had fired its beam weapon at the _Rochester_, gutting it from stem to stern.  There was an ugly, ugly gash, which began venting atmosphere and debris-and things he didn't want to think about.  Almost immediately it lost lateral motion and started to drift as the engines sputtered and died.  He was unpleasantly surprised that the _Enterprise_ wasn't even concerning itself with the Star Furies.  

Then something slammed into his ship and everyone went reeling.  There was smoke, momentary darkness and screaming throughout the bridge.   Somewhere there was fire, people yelling for fire suppression.  He could hear the stress of metal tearing.  A large number of his ship's systems were redlining.   It was like fighting a Minbari ship he imagined.

To his relief. the _Pournelle_ came in hot, all weapons firing hitting the _Enterprise-D_ squarely amidships as it turned to meet the attacker.  In fact, Drake was surprised-and pleased-at the intensity of the Destroyers assault.  They were throwing in everything, even as the _Evanston_ managed to fire several laser volleys.  High-energy beams and missiles slammed into the port side of the starship with no apparent effect, having been deflected by some sort of energy field.  To Drake's shock the _Pournelle_ then fired two additional high-speed missiles with nuclear-tipped warheads.  That was an illegal action in an area so close to a civilian transport lane.  Clarke wanted _B5_ functional, not radioactive.   

The entire area went white as the _Enterprise-D_ vanished from sight inside the manmade inferno.   


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: _"Certain People Don't Bluff"_

_Pournelle_," Drake screamed.  "You were not authorized to use nuclear weapons!"  Secretly though, he approved of the action and knew he would have done the same thing if he could have.  "Don't you-"  

His mouth felt like it was below his neck when he watched the small ship called _Enterprise_ swing out of the hellfire apparently undamaged.  He could barely make out the shining protective bubble surrounding it and his blood ran cold.  Then, Drake saw two exceptionally fast objects spew from the starship in retaliation. The _Pournelle_ responded by trying to use their interceptors to stop the oncoming projectiles.  He could imagine what Captain Hawthorne was doing.  

Seeing the projectiles coming for his ship, he would order evasives and emergency counter batteries to fire.  He knew that Hawthorne had seen the two balls of light with emanating energy pulses, homing in on his ship at one half the speed of light and accelerating.   Hawthorne's own mouth was dry now as he imagined the destructiveness of what these things would do in retaliation, since he'd first fired five-megaton nuclear missiles at the white warship.  He would be focusing every defensive measure he had in order to stop those things from hitting the _Pournelle_.   And it would be too late.  Even the computers on full auto could not have reacted in time given the closeness of the missiles homing in on them.

Two high-yield photon torpedoes impacted the _Pournelle, _which cracked open like an egg, then disappeared in a blinding flash.  For a second Drake thought that the alien ship had also used nuclear weapons, except that the radiation profile didn't fit a nuclear detonation.  But what ever that weapon was, it had simply erased the _Pournelle_ from existence. 

His proud fleet had been reduced to almost nothing in less than three minutes and now reports came in of a second ship in the area which had disabled both the breeching pod and the _Lenmark_.  Quickly, he calculated that it would take a fleet of at least eight heavy ships to deal with the larger alien vessel-which was less than half the size of his own.  He looked up and saw that the _Enterprise-D_ was coming for him and there was no back up support left.  Critical weapons systems were over-heating and some of them had died already.  

"Orders?" his XO asked, tension evident in his voice even as he coughed in the contaminated, arid smoke filling the ship.

Sitting in his command chair, Captain Drake nervously wiped the sweat from his brow as the alien starship eased to within two kilometers of his Destroyer.  A five-minute battle was not what he'd imagined ten minutes ago.  The _Nimrod _and half of its Furieshad broken contact with a battered _Alexander_ and begun to advance on the _Enterprise-D_ until hi-intensity beams of unbelievable power, ionized space less than a kilometer in front of it by the second alien ship.

The warning shot had made its point.  The advance was stopped dead in its tracks.  The communications officer quickly called for his attention.  "Visual is working this time, Captain."

Damnation.

He knew who it was.  "Open," he whispered.  This time he did have visual and his screen opened to reveal a bridge unlike anything he'd ever seen before.  It was larger than he thought and every person-and alien- he saw carried the look of seasoned warriors, even the young kid at what must have been the helm.  And Picard, it had to be him…

"This is Picard," the man confirmed.  "Your fight is over.   I have every one of my weapon systems locked onto your vessel.   I suggest you leave while you can.  This is your last opportunity."

He was Human! Drake saw coldness in Picard's eyes and he understood immediately what was about to happen.  He looked towards Targeting Control, which acknowledged the lock on.  If the alien ship fired there might be a few stray atoms of his ship remaining but that would be all.   Even if he could fire first, that energy shield of theirs could negate every attack.  

It was time to leave.  

But he couldn't.  He couldn't go back to the President humiliated in such a fashion.  He didn't have a choice.  He did not want to die with his crew in a fight he couldn't win.

With his bile threatening to make him vomit, he gave the order.  "Retreat."  His mind raged as never before, so intensely he thought it would consume him.  _THIS IS NOT OVER YET PICARD.  SHERIDAN YOU TRAITOR!  I WILL SEE YOU DEAD!_  Even as his ships prepared to depart the area, he was thinking how to capture one or both alien ships.  If not, then he would take great pleasure in destroying Picard.  But he would need help and not here, near _Babylon Five_.  Next time, and there would be a next time, he would pick the time and place.  This fight was just about to get much larger.

The two remaining Destroyers and a small mob of Star Furies turned towards the jumpgate dove in upon activation and disappeared into hyperspace.

_Babylon Five's_ Command and Control erupted in cheers.  Not as much for the victory as for the ending of the fighting.  The station had been damaged but it still functioned and it was still theirs.

John was just as overjoyed, but these strangers were an unknown quantity with the potential to cause more damage than anything Earth Destroyers could do.  Who were they and why did they help the station?  He needed to know.   "Lieutenant Corwin," Sheridan ordered.  "I want to talk to those ships; to Captain Picard."  

"Yes, sir.  The second ship is hailing us, a Captain Garrett.  I-"

He sputtered for a second as four jump points formed almost on top of the station.  Three Minbari cruisers and the _White Star_ commanded by Ambassador Delenn appeared and moved towards the Picard's _Enterprise-D_.

"This is Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari."  John's heart leaped upon hearing her voice, then fell flat as she continued the transmission.  "_Babylon Five_ is under our protection…leave or be destroyed."

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard," the Captain responded.  "I don't believe that  _Babylon Five_ is not yours to 'protect'.  Stand down.  Do not engage us, Ambassador."  

"Why not?" she countered.  "Only one Human Captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet.  He is behind me.  You are in front of me.  If you value your lives, be somewhere else."

"Human ships may not have survived previous engagements, Ambassador," Picard answered quietly.  "But there is a first time for everything."

Two pair of eyes locked onto one another's and neither intended to blink.

"Sir," yelled Lieutenant Corwin.  "The Minbari have just locked on to the _Enterprise_."  A second later: "Sir!  The _Enterprise_ has locked on to all four ships.  I didn't believe that was possible!"  He was awed.  No Human ship was supposed to do that.  And the energy readings surrounding the _Enterprise_ were increasing- significantly.

On the view screen Captain Sheridan and Lieutenant Corwin saw Picard's face, as it became ice cold, the consummate professional soldier taking over.  It was instantly clear to Sheridan that Picard had assumed that the Minbari were trying to take advantage of the situation.  

"Oh, hell!"  

This was bad.

John Sheridan grabbed the communications link before the lieutenant could finish.  "Get me Delenn, now!"  Neither side knew what they were in for.  The fact that the _Enterprise_ had managed to lock on to the Minbari despite their ship's stealth abilities spoke volumes about this ship's technology.  They both had to be stopped before it was too late.

Delenn had re-entered a _Babylon Five_ space and found it littered with the remains of Earth Force ships and Human bodies.  The first thing her ship's sensors detected were two fairly small, light gray battle cruisers with Human writing etched on them.  She assumed the worst, that President Clarke had somehow developed a new technology to subdue _Babylon Five_ and possibly wage war on the other races in the name of Human purity.  A partial scan, which was all that could be managed, determined that much of the crew was Human.  But there were several other species completely unknown to the xenocat databases.  What allies did Clarke now have and what did it mean for the coming war?

"Lock onto the closest ship," she ordered.  "Prepare to open fire if they are foolish enough to stay."  This Picard was obviously very confident and very foolish.

"Delenn," her scanner officer said.  "The Human ship has locked onto us!"

"That's impossible," she said, surprised at the comment.  No Human or alien technology, with very few exceptions, could do that.  "Break the lock."

"I have twice and each time they have re-acquired it."  Even as he spoke, he again broke the lock-on, and then frowned once more as his ship was re-acquired.  Rarely had their stealth technology been so completely breeched. 

"Continue to break the locks."  This frightened her.  How did they develop such technology?  The answer: impossible by themselves.  Were the Shadows involved with this?

"I am trying Delenn," the other Minbari said quickly.  "But they can hit us, and their power readings are disturbing."  _This was an understatement if ever there was one_, he thought.

"They're not leaving," she said firmly fully aware of what was about to happen.   "Prepare to fire."

"Yes, Delenn."  The stealth controller answered.  This was going to be a hard battle.

It came as a rude surprise as three independent hyperspace distortion apertures opened up almost on top of top of the Federation starships without them detecting the energy openings in the first place.

Onboard the _Enterprise-D_, Picard pressed hard for a confirmed lock on the four ships approaching him and Lieutenant Yar feverously worked to get that sustained lock.  Even though they had no defensive shielding they were three times the size of his ship, carrying a lot of firepower and together they might punch through the shields if given the opportunity.  Evidently this species wanted to take over the station, waiting until after the conflict to sweep up the remains.  They also had the ability to re-enter normal space independently of the stargate.  As soon as this was over Picard would have Data and Engineering find a way to detect this.  Now, however…

"Lieutenant, augment with subspace and energy emissions to supplement sensor lock."  That was a favorite tactic of his when hunting cloaked vessels.  "I want phasers at maximum power."

"Done, sir.  We have a sustained target acquisition."  The energy emissions emulating from these alien ships was something she'd seen before.  They used a quantum singularity power source similar to those used by Romulan warbirds.  That she could lock-on to and she did.  "The _Ambassador_ is battle ready and flanking our port side.  We're feeding target data to them for coordinated strikes."

"Acknowledged.  If they don't leave, prepare to fire, on my order.  Do not fire unless fired upon.  Secure for attack pattern Delta."

John spoke faster than he thought possible.  This shooting match would be a disaster.  And it was unnecessary.  He couldn't imagine what he'd do if Delenn were hurt or killed and that was an all to real possibility here.

"Delenn, _Enterprise_ and _Ambassado_r, hold your fire!  I repeat do not engage!  Everyone stand down," Sheridan, practically yelling, said through communications.  "Everyone is friendly, I repeat stand down!  Do not open fire!"

"Captain Sheridan, this is Jean-Luc Picard of _Enterprise_.  We will not fire unless fired upon."

"John," Delenn reported in.  "They're Human.  What is going on?"  Her face was a portrait study of worry and fierce determination and a bit of confusion thrown in for good measure.   Nevertheless, it was clear she had every intention of firing on the _Enterprise_ and _Ambassado_r.  

"They just saved our butts here.  Stand down.  Everybody."

"This is Captain Garrett of the _Ambassador_.  We will stand down.   But if they fire-"

"They won't," John answered.  "The Minbari are on my side."

After a few moments: "Standing down."

The _Ambassador's_ shields went down and the ship eased to starboard.  Seeing this, the Minbari closed their gun ports and began de-powering their weapons systems with _the Enterprise_ following suit.  Finally, the _White Star_ did the same.  Only then did John released his breath he didn't know he was holding.  There had been all too much killing here for one day.

 "Thank God."  

"Yes, Corwin.  Thank God." 

"Captains," Sheridan said.  "I would love to meet you, but right now there's so much damage and so many people trapped and injured that I would like to request that you help us with the wounded.  In the spirit of good will of course."

It was a test, both Federation Captains realized.  "We would be honored to help."  It was something that both would have done in any case.  

He couldn't contain it any longer.  This last moment save shouldn't have happened even in his wildest dreams.  "Who are you people?"

"Just travelers a very long way from home," Picard answered cryptically.  "We will talk later."  The signal closed.

"Sir, can we trust them?" The young lieutenant asked.  "They helped us but we know nothing about them, other than the fact that their Captains are Human."

"And that those ships are powerful enough to take out Earth Destroyers without breaking a sweat.  You're right," he said after a moment.  "They are an unknown quantity and as we've all seen nobody does anything for free at this station.  But as of right now they are willing to help us and I am curious about them."  He waved a little smoke away.  "First things first, let's find out how the station is and help our people outside.  We will render humanitarian aid to those poor people out there.  We won't be able to depend on others in this fight.  We got ourselves into this mess and we will be responsible for getting ourselves out."

Outside the view port he could see several shuttlecrafts emerging from both of the whitish ships headed unerringly towards ejected pilots and survivors of the battle.  Even their shuttles were unusual. There were no obvious thruster ports on them either.  His scanners could barely get a surface lock on either ship.  He was betting that the Minbari couldn't either.  For them it was a standoff for the time being.  

Once Earth Gov got wind of this stealth technology coming from a vessel of human origin, they'd be slavering at the mouth.  _I believe these new friends have just opened up a whole new can of worms for us _he thought darkly.

It was wise, Picard thought that he and Garrett would use the shuttles instead of the transporter whenever possible.  For the critically injured, they did transport them directly to sickbay-unconscious of course.  There were so many people; security would have their hands full until they could separate friend from foe.  His people knew their jobs well, that wasn't a problem and so he allowed himself to really get a bird's eye view of this station.  It was five miles long with a rotational section creating simulated gravity.  Given the state of the technology it was, all in all, fairly impressive, Picard thought.  There were several different environmental sectors present also, for the various life supports required.  It was complete with multiple nuclear cold-fusion reactors. 

Scans revealed so many different species onboard that he was surprised the Terran government here would dare to endanger them in a fight.  So far, there were no analogs of aliens, other than Humans, comparable to his own universe.  It was so different here.  If the station had been damaged or destroyed, how many wars would that have started?  Did these people even think of the long-term consequences, or did it even matter to them?  Or was there something else going on here?  As Riker had said earlier 'the stakes here must be extremely high.'

The Minbari cruisers orbiting the station were a dangerous unknown.  They were constantly probing his ship, even though the _Enterprise_ was deflecting the majority of their scans.  His ship had done the same and although remarkably different he was impressed by their ability to block specific scans.  But twenty years of war with an enemy that disappeared at the drop of a hat, had taught the Federation a lot.  And the best people in Starfleet were on it-on both ships. There was ample evidence that these people had been in space for a very long time.   He'd find out more about them later but first he needed to set up a meeting with this Captain Sheridan.  

Captain Garrett eased the _Ambassador_ next to the ravaged _Lenmark_. Although it was less than half the length of the _Hyperion_-class heavy cruiser _Ambassador_ clearly dominated the immediate area.  

"This is the Federation starship _Ambassado_r, EAS _Lenmark_ can you read me?"

_"Ambassador_," came the reply.  "Cease hostilities," the tired-hurt voice said.  The channel was full of static.  "We have many wounded and our life support is almost gone.  We surrender, _Ambassador_."

"Are you the Captain?"

"She's dead," he responded.  "I'm Commander Glenn Wilson, the first officer."

"Well Commander Wilson, prepare to abandon ship.  Our shuttles will come to pick you up," she ordered.  "Your survivors will be eventually transferred to _Babylon Five_.  No weapons, of course.  Any resistance and we will vaporize your ship and send you home in a box-a very small one.  Am I understood?"

"Perfectly, Captain."

"I am so glad we had this talk," Garrett said.  "You will be joining Captain Bryzski shortly."  _This was such a waste_ she thought.  _Such a waste_.

Onboard the _Enterprise-D_, Dr Beverly Crusher continued to work on her patient.  There were so many!  But with the _Ambassador_ the pressure wasn't as intense as it could have been.  And her son was still safe.  

Her patient stirred and Crusher was about to sedate her when the woman waved it off.  "Stay still," Beverly advised gently. "You're safe now."

"Where am I?" the woman asked.  Her voice was raspy, the result of inhaling too much toxic smoke and dust.

"Onboard the _Enterprise_."

"Which ship is that?" she moaned.  If this was an Earth ship, and it sounded like it was, then she had to be a prisoner.  Was it the EAS _Enterprise_?  No, it didn't feel right.  Why she was alive, she didn't have a clue.  "I'm your captive I guess."   The words came out as a bare whisper. 

"No, you're not.  But relax.  You've been severely injured.  What's your name?"

My name is Captain Hiroshi, Sandra," the woman responded.  "I can't-can't remember.  How did I get here?  The last thing I do remember was that we were about to crash into the _Roanoke_."  She thought about it for a second.  "How many of my people were saved."

"Only sixty-two.  I'm sorry."

Only sixty-two!  "But how?" she asked.  The ship was on fire.  She remembered her legs being broken as the ceiling caved in.  She remembered the smells and screams and the burning, melting plastic covering her face.  She remembered going blind.  She…

"It doesn't matter right now," Dr. Crusher, said deflecting the question since she and her surviving crew had been transported off the doomed vessel.  "You've been badly injured.  You have nineteen broken bones, a concussion and internal damage to your spleen and intestinal tract.  Then there are the second and third degree burns and lung damage and searing of your corneas.  You're going to be out of it for at least three days, with another ten for additional treatments and rest.  Then, I might let you out of sickbay."

Sandra would have laughed if it didn't hurt so badly. "You're amusing, Doctor…?" Nineteen broken bones!  People would look at her with pity.  She would never be the same again.

She could see, even if not clearly. She remembered burning plastic flowing into her eyes.  How could her eyes had been so damaged and then healed so quickly?

"Dr. Crusher," she answered.  And no, I'm not."

"You-you're serious?"  She looked around at a medical bay that upon first inspection almost defied description. Then her eyes blurred once more.

"Welcome to the _Enterprise_," Beverly said, just before she administered the sedative.

Ten hours passed before Sheridan, Picard and Garrett could arrange a meeting. Both Federation ships took up station keeping some ten kilometers away from _Babylon Five_ and in that time, Picard decided to diffuse some of the tension with the Minbari Captains by inviting them over to the _Enterprise_.  It was a calculated risk, but one he chose, at Guinan's prompting.

Surprisingly, one of the Captains accepted.  The shuttle eased into the _Enterprise_ bay and four of the Minbari slowly exited the craft, surprised at the presence of artificial gravity onboard.   Picard met them at the bay watching with appreciation as the gracefully designed shuttle handed effortlessly onto the landing bay.

"I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard," he said warmly, allowing the universal translator to do its job.  "Welcome aboard the _Enterprise_."   

But interestingly, their Captain spoke English.              "I am Menroi, Captain of the _BrightStar_.  It is a honor to meet you outside of battle," the matured Minbari male said.  He realized he meant it, too.  The trip from the shuttle to this Human, if that was the right word; space ship had been itself enlightening.  The design spoke of power and organization; completely different in design from anything he'd seen before.  And the stunning revelation of passing thru the force field separating space from the interior of the ship spoke of knowledge taken for granted.  

"It is I who am glad that we have chosen to meet in peace instead of war," Picard said.

As they walked thru the ship, Menroi and his people were startled at the number of aliens onboard, none of which they could identify.  This was definitely a ship of war, but it wasn't an experimental vessel as they had first assumed.  Everything about the ship suggested a time worn experience.  The technology wasn't new and untried.  This ship had hundreds of years of improvements infused in it.  The Humans and Humanoid species interacted with one another with an ease that also suggested generations of contact.  This was a ship of Good or extreme Evil depending on who was in control.  

In Conference Room Two, first contact proceeded smoothly.  There were several dishes that the Minbari found edible and Menroi was rather pleasantly surprised that he and his people rather enjoyed the visit.  These people weren't exactly what he expected.  The tenseness he expected to experience was not present.  Instead there was a relaxed atmosphere-another surprise since they almost shot at one another's ships.  And the Vulcans were an interesting people indeed.  They seemed extremely… practical.

"I am most impressed by you and your ship Captain, Picard," Menroi stated once again taking in everything.  "It is most fortunate that you chose not to involve your ship in the war."

"We would have preferred not to involve ourselves in this affair but it would not have been prudent to allow the Terran government to take over the _Babylon station_," Picard answered.  "A diplomatic response would have been a more desirable solution rather than firing at one another."

"I was referring to our war with your people," Menroi corrected, commenting on the Earth-Minbari war.   "We would have had more of a challenge if you had been present."

Picard looked puzzled.  "I am not aware of a conflict between your people and Earth," he said carefully.  "When did this war occur?"

The Minbari were shocked.  "You have no idea of what I am talking about, do you?"  Menroi and the others could see it in his eyes and the eyes of the others.  "You really are from very far away."

"More than you know," Picard said smiling wistfully.  "We're not from this area of space.  We've come a very long way.  Now, could you tell me about the conflict between the Minbari and the people of Earth?"


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six _         "Coffee and other stuff"_

Two Federation shuttles, one a Runabout and the other a standard shuttle, from the _Enterprise_ and _Ambassador_ respectively, received permission to enter the _Babylon _space station.  Activity was hectic as work and repair crews received priority status and the visitors were forced to wait several minutes.  Instead of tractors, a form of 'electronic guide pulse' was used to conduct the shuttles to their respective births.   Both shuttles landed next to one another and the crews waited as re-pressurization commenced.  

Waiting for them were Captain Sheridan, Ambassador Delenn, who wanted to take a close look at this Human who dared to start a fight against the Minbari, Dr. Stephen Franklin, an exhausted Commander Susan Ivanova, and a very uncomfortable Michael Garibaldi, whose broken leg was still fresh on his mind.  There were in addition several security guards.  

All of the watched as both shuttles had sat down with an ease that belied their boxy design.  Neither one had landing gear as such and were now resting on their engines, which had ceased their bluish white glow.  From the larger shuttle, two security guards emerged followed by Captain Picard and several other officers. One of the officers was a yellowed hued Humanoid male, followed by a tall redheaded woman and a strangely clothed dark-skinned woman.

About the same time from the smaller shuttle, the Captain of the _Ambassador_ exited her craft followed by her staff.  Unlike her counterpart, she didn't have security with her.  Sheridan assumed-correctly-that a total of two guards would be sufficient for this visit.  Still, weapons were not allowed on the station by non-_B5_ security and military personnel.  His people would be responsible for their protection.  On the other hand, Nightwatch, pro-Earth movement enforcers, were probably still on the station and these newcomers would be a tempting target.   He would have to think about this, after all the Centauri Emperor had his own armed guards to protect him.  And these people seemed definitely from out-of-town.

He really didn't have time for this but he did make time for this preliminary 'first contact meeting.  There were funeral services to attend and tons of paperwork to do.  The Minbari Captain Lenann wanted to visit the station and his own uniform was making him very uncomfortable wearing it.  

Captain Sheridan looked the strangers over carefully.  The first thing he noticed was that there was a difference in uniforms or more specifically the cut of the Jackets.  Picard and his people wore a very military looking type of jumpsuit whereas Garrett's people wore a more casual jacketed two-piece.  But every one of them had that golden insignia over their left breast.  They were obviously two branches of the same service.  And he found that he could very easily read the command rank, which appeared identical to his own military's.     

Well, first things, first.  "On behalf of _Babylon Five_," he began, smiling his most gracious sincere smile.  "I would like to thank you for coming to our aid."  He introduced the members of his party and his guests did likewise. 

Picard took the dark-woman's' hand.  "May I present our Ambassador-at-large Ms. Guinan."

"Ms. Guinan."

"Please, just Guinan," she answered, smiling warmly and bowing slightly to Delenn who returned the gesture that was so much like her own.

"I don't know where we'd be without you out there," he continued.  "But I must warn you that you've made some dangerous enemies."

"On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, you're welcome," Picard said.  "It was not our intention to enter this dispute lightly, Captain.  We've been monitoring the situation for almost two weeks now.  It has been disturbing to say the least."

That brought him to his next question.  " I don't recognize any of your ship designs or uniforms and your technology is astounding.  But you speak English.   Exactly where are you from?  And what is the Federation of Planets?  I've never heard of it before."  He watched as Picard winced slightly.  

"Our Federation is very, very far from here," he said truthfully.  He decided then and there to tell this Captain the truth when they were in a more secluded place.  "It is an organization began by Humans and a species called Vulcans, hundreds of years ago."  

"As far as I know, just about everybody who has ventured into space has been accounted for in the last two hundred years," their chief of security said flatly.  Unless you count the Humans that have been kidnapped in the late twenty and early twenty-first century.  But even then, there weren't that many.  I have never heard of this organization, not even a hint."

"You wouldn't have," Garret answered.   "We haven't had contact with the Earth government, here, for more than three hundred years."

"So you're a lost colony that just happened to be around at this particular point in time?"  

_Good old Garibaldi_, John thought.  That paranoid nature of his could always be counted on to sniff out the truth in times like this.

"No," Garrett said.  "We were in the middle of a war, a firefight if you will, when our ships were caught up in a subspace temporal distortion, in one of the micro-fractures to be exact, that ripped apart our quantum structures and reconfigured them and stranded us in your part of the galaxy.  It was not our intention be here," she finished smiling sarcastically at a very confused and suspicious Michael.

As she finished, the only word that came to John was a single, long, drawn out  "Okay."  _Micro fractures in a subspace distortion what? Time to study up on hyperspace physics _he thought.  Fast.

"But since we were here," Picard added.  "It was decided that our best option was to ally ourselves here at _Babylon Five_.  But," he continued.  "Not if it were in the hands of your Earth Government in the condition that it is now.  If it were to remain free and independent, then we surmised that mutual co-operation would be in everyone's best interest."

John digested that.  Was that a veiled threat?  No, he didn't think so.  

"Your cooperation may have been better served with a less adversarial stance, Captain Picard."  It was clear that Delenn was still wary of these people.  Their full defensive capabilities were an unknown to her and Captain Menroi's assessment of their ship didn't endear these people to her.

"Ambassador Delenn," Guinan said blocking another potential disagreement between those two.   "Sometimes a book is judged by its cover and that is what happened here on both sides.  I hope we can now read the book and find out what it really has to say."  She looked at Delenn once more, then at Sheridan.  "If you wish us to leave we will, that is part of our Charter, but if we do you will be missing an opportunity may never come again, not only from a science technical perspective, but from a Human perspective.  We do have need of you, your base of operations, but we don't come empty-handed.  We have things that you might find useful, like gravity plating technology-and coffee."

"Coffee?  Susan spurted.  "Real coffee?  From Earth plants?"

Delenn interrupted.  "Ambassador-Guinan," she corrected.  "You may be correct in our assessment of one another.  I would like to get to know a little bit more about you and your people."

"I am at your disposal, Ambassador Delenn."

"Delenn, please."  The truth was, she thought, was that she may no longer be even part of the Minbari government anymore.

"Our medical advances may be of interest to you also," Doctor Crusher added.  "We also have several of your people in our medical ward.  Specifically, a Captain Hiroshi and sixty-two members of her crew."

"And how did you pull that off?"  Garibaldi almost yelled.  "I've been reviewing the visual logs of the fight and your ship nor any of your shuttles were anywhere in that area."

"There are ways, Mr. Garibaldi," Garrett said flatly.  "And we did save them."

It was clear that he didn't believe her.  Several others looked dubious also.  Even if they had somehow been saved their injuries would was be so horrendous that their lives might not be worth living.  

Beverly looked to Picard who gave her a slight nod.  Mr. Garibaldi, may I?" she asked pointing to his broken leg.  

The man looked around, almost stepped back away from the woman.   Dr. Franklin eyed the woman closely as she pulled out a strange instrument.

"This is what we call a field medical tricorder-bone regenerator,' she said explaining to everyone present.  "With your permission, I would like to show you what it can do."  She proceeded to scan Michael, even as Dr. Franklin scanned the tricorder with his scanner.           

"I really don't like alien technology pointed at me," Garibaldi snapped.  

"Well," she responded.  "I am making a point.  Right now, my analysis reveals that your pain is slowly increasing as the medication is beginning to wear off. You've had several contusions, several healed over broken ribs and slight liver damage."

He was surprised and aggravated.  Was the device that advanced?  "You can tell all that that quickly?"  He hadn't felt a thing.  

"This is what I do," she countered.  "Now may I see your arm?"

Indecision flashed crossed his face, then shrugged and moved towards her.  "Look," he said.  "I don't like doctors because they have a tendency to hurt me a lot more that the pain I have going in.  So if you want to be added to the list of doctors I hate, go right on ahead.  But I want Franklin to watch everything you do.  If he says stop, don't even think about it.  You do it."

"Agreed," she said, moving towards him.  She activated the regenerator, moved it up and down the length of the broken leg for about twenty seconds.  She scanned it again and turned off the device.  "Finished."

Even before she'd said it, Garibaldi noticed the difference.  He felt the bone re-knit and the pain was almost gone. His leg was moveable again, without hardly any discomfort, even though still very weak.  That he could deal with.   The look on his face was hysterical.

"May I try one more thing?" she asked.

"Yes," Dr. Franklin said before Garibaldi could even speak.  Michael simply shrugged.  Curiosity had him now as well.

Dr. Crusher proceeded to repair all the scratches and welts on him with the dermal regenerator.  Everyone witnessed the facial scars disappear before their eyes.   

"Take it easy, Mr. Garibaldi.  By tomorrow you should be back to normal and the bone at full strength in about two days."

_  My God_ John thought.  _The technology these people possess!_

"Dr. crusher," Dr. Franklin asked.  "Can we talk?"  he looked as though he couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed.  But his own scans confirmed it.  The bone was re-knitted and getting better by the moment.  The medical advances suggested here would be a leap of almost a hundred, maybe two hundred years he thought.  The inroads that could be accomplished on this station alone would be significant.

"I would love to Dr. Franklin."

"Doc," Garibaldi said looking at Dr. Crusher with renewed respect.  "I hate to say it, but I take it back.  You're not too bad."

"I think we all need to talk," Sheridan announced, smiling at a smiling Garibaldi how had now removed the leg brace and was in process of removing the now unneeded cast.

"I believe that the book has been opened," Guinan said.  "Page one seems to be-acceptable."

Delenn looked at Picard and the others of his group and her features softened a little.  "Welcome to _Babylon Five_." 

The meeting continued for another hour.  Then the Federation members, with the exception of Ambassador Guinan, left vowing to return in three days when things cooled down a little and were less hectic. 

During those three days, the word uneventful was the least likely word to be used.   The funeral for all those who were lost on both sides was completed.  A kidnapping plot was foiled in which Captain Lenann and Ambassador Delenn were injured.  And then the computer to decided screw up.  Its artificial intelligence program, the faulty, original one what been accidentally re-activated and it took everything they had to get rid of the annoyance.  

John prepared a small dinner for him and Delenn, recently release from the med lab.  He didn't have much time to spend with her so every minute count.  His new uniform looked very good, he had to admit and it gave him a since of completion, also.  There was no way he and his command staff could continue wearing the Earth Gov military uniform after the breakaway.  

_Babylon Five_ was now open again for business, much to Earth Gov's hatred.  But as long as _Babylon Five_ was free, it would be a thorn in its side.  And more importantly there was something else that they had an interest in-a serious interest.

"I know you don't like my cooking," John admitted.  "But you need your strength and I want you to eat this even if you don't like it that much.  Consider it a test of character."

Delenn looked at the dish in barely disguised terror, she took a bite.  Then another.  Then, two more.  "This is rather good," she said surprised. "When did you learn how to cook something like this?" she asked as she took another bite.  

Actually," he began, taking a breath.  "Guinan gave me this recipe and the ingredients too.  The woman is amazing.  I can't get a reading on her.  One minute, she's like the neighbor next door and the next she is so-so profound that it makes me believe that she is hundreds of years old.  In some ways she's sounds like Kosh in the way she answers but the next moment, she sounds like my older sister."

In fact, Kosh the uninvolved Vorlon Ambassador, seemed almost intimidated by Guinan, he thought.  He purposely avoided Guinan in fact.  Strange.  

"And that's why you're here.  Have they done anything yet?"

"No, they've been peaceful and Stephen has been on both ships several times now.  Each time he comes back, I swear that he glows a little more.  Each time.  And that bothers me."

"But they haven't been a threat to us.  In fact, I like Guinan."

"But that's the point, Delenn," he said touching her hand and smiling as she didn't shrink away.  "If they decide to attack us, I don't believe that we could stop them, even with your help.  The other governments have been clamoring to get a good look at their ship and the Centauri, more than most."

"But that is to be expected, John."

"But this is the worst time for all of this.  All this attention is not good for the station.  Not right now when we're trying to get ourselves together.  Earth is about to start a blockade on us.  The Shadows are becoming more aggressive.  And we will soon have to get our supplies from a completely independent source."

"On the other hand, Dr. Franklin is being relieved of some of his patients and your government won't dare attack this station with them here.  We cannot stay here indefinitely."

"I understand that, Delenn."  The political implications and the price of what she'd done by bringing those Minbari ships to save _Babylon Five_ would be something he wouldn't know for decades.  "That is why I am glad they are here.  But Earth Gov knows this also.  I believe President Clark and his cronies will try to take those ships by force.  I don't know where Picard will stand if push comes to shove."

"Captain Picard is a very determined and stubborn man.  And I believe that Captain Garrett is very aggressive.  To be caught between the two of them, is something I do not think that President Clark is foolish enough to do."

"I hope that you're right."

"Then talk to them and find out where they stand in all of this."

"I can't right now," he said tasting a bit of the soup he made for them.  "Earth Gov is sending an unarmed transport to take their people back with them. Personally I'll be glad to get rid of them off this station.  We are not a prison here."

'It'll arrive in two hours," he continued.  The _Enterprise_ and _Ambassador_ will remove theirs also.  That was very gracious of them to hold on to the extras like that."

"By their actions, you see their intentions," Delenn whispered to him.   "Go with what you feel. Talk to them.  They could be important allies in the days to come."

"You're right.  I'll have to make the time.  Today," he decided.  "As soon as the prisoner exchange is completed.  Besides, I want to see the ship up close and find out what Franklin's been raving about." 

Lord Refa was decidedly unhappy at being once again on the _Babylon_ station once more, especially since he was 'persuaded' into coming by the Centauri Ambassador, Londo Mollari.  However it wouldn't be a total loss.  The Federation ships, as bizarre as they appeared were obviously very powerful and the energy protection field alone would be a nice acquisition. With times being the way they were, his people would have need of such a device, which seemed obviously superior to what his own military possess.

"Have you talked to them, Ambassador?"  Refa asked in his usual arrogant voice that Londo was beginning to truly hate.  "Is it true that it is a Earth vessel?"

"No, no," Londo corrected.  "Those are not Earth ships.  Rumor has it that they are from a distant, long lost colony.  Obviously, a very long lost colony."

"Have you contacted their Ambassador?"

"Yes," he said.  "I must confess that she is the most interesting person I have met in a very long time.   Her ability to made drinks is the most astounding gift I have ever seen.  She made a drink that actually turned into the most intoxicatingly exotic vapor I have ever experienced.  And she-"

"Londo, Londo, I don't care about her ability to make drinks," Refa snapped, cutting him off.  "I want to know if she can be convinced to share some of their shield technology with the Centauri people."

"I don't believe so," he said.  "Besides, I don't know if that particular device would be of any real benefit to us.  It could possibly increase the fighting.  I have been studying the reports from the numerous conflicts.  There are too many fronts.  Our resources are stretched too thin."

"Once we have that technology, that along with our other resources should keep our people and our borders secure."

Londo almost spat at the man.  "They will not share that technology.  I know this Guinan.  I have talked to her off and on for three days and I tell you it-will-not-happen."

The Centauri thought about this for a moment as he finished his drink.  "The perhaps, conversation is not enough.  Maybe a more aggressive approach may make the change their minds."

"Are you out of your mind?" growled Londo.  "We are fighting so many smaller wars that we are at the breaking point now.  And you want to fight these Federation ships filled with people who want to get home to their own personal little war?"

"I am sure we could handle them-"

"You are wrong Refa," Londo countered.  "We can't do this.  What if Mr. Morden's associates decide to attack Centauri Prime while you are here with half the fleet trying to subdue two homeless vessels?"

Refa straightened his long outward standing mane of hair.  "We wouldn't have a chance anyway against them.  His associates are the most powerful force I have ever known, but they're on my side and as my ally, I may one day ascend the throne itself.  Maybe I will ask them to deal with the Human ships.  I-"

"No.  You won't," Londo said.  You will listen to me or you will die.  You see your drink is poisoned."

"What?"

The shuttle containing Susan Ivanova and Captain Sheridan eased into the shuttle bay of the _Enterprise_ some fifteen minutes before the meeting was scheduled to start.  This was not what he had intended when he first proposed the meeting.  Earth Force had insisted and he wasn't in a position to deny this request.  It would be a moment of truth.  Whether he was on _B5_ or not wouldn't matter if this Federation ship decided to attack.  So he went with his gut and came anyway.

"This is Shuttle Alpha Two, requesting permission to land, _Enterprise_."

"Alpha Two, this is _Enterprise_," the voice said.  "You are cleared to land.  Please release your controls and we will guide you in.  Sit back and enjoy, Alpha two."

Dr. Franklin had told him of this procedure, but he was still surprised as a force gently grabbed his ship and began to bring it towards the opened shuttle bay.  Both he and Susan shuttered slightly as they passed through the protective shields and landed more gently as than they thought possible.

"Nice gravity control," he murmured to Susan as soon as they opened the door, who were both also surprised that re-pressurization hadn't been necessary.  Hearing about it was one thing but experiencing it was another animal altogether.  There was nothing but open space between the bay doors and the shield.  He could see _Babylon Five_ clearly, for the first time without any obstructions to mar the view.  It looked magnificent.  

A tall, bearded, dark-haired man, that Sheridan knewas the first officer was there to greet them who proceeded to shake his hand warmly.  "I am sorry that this is rushing a little but we are expecting visitors.  I must warn you to prepare yourselves and not respond to the things you will see and hear," he said with the emphasis on the word _respond_.  On my planet it's been said that diplomacy is another form of warfare."

"That's a common phrase on mine as well," Sheridan said non-chalantly. 

"Well, warfare is about to commence.  Sit back and enjoy the fireworks."

Neither one liked the sound of that.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**_"Power plays"_**

Commander Sisko walked back and forth in the main shuttle bay watching nervous EAS prisoners as they prepared to leave.  Fifteen guards armed with phaser rifles pointed at the four hundred or so prisoners, made those elements of the Earth Marine Corps and Space Naval prisoners very contrite.  And to make sure that they remained contrite and docile in the first place, he demonstrated the weapons effectiveness by disintegrating a large portion of the breeching pod stationed next to and partially docked inside the shuttle bay area.  The process drained that particular phaser's energy pack, but the point had been eloquently made.  

Then there were the force shields surrounding them-

Many of the prisoners had been injured, especially on the _Lenmark_ in one way, or another but were all, without exception healed by their captors.  Like soldiers from every war ever fought, most were simply grunts doing what they were told to do.  They had no idea what they were getting into and most had no true understanding why they were fighting in the first place, especially under the current regime.  But that didn't matter right now.  If given a chance they could do damage, so therefore they had been put under a strict lease. 

They hadn't been told that they were being released, so many were a bit apprehensive because for all they knew, these people might have decided to space them.  And indeed there was a small panic when the massive shuttle bay doors opened without the standard protection and de-pressurization they were used to.  For the prisoners, that came as the biggest surprise as the first of three EAS shuttles entered the landing bay.  They were shocked as the shuttles passed thru the energy shield that kept outer space out and atmosphere in.  It was a demonstration of power.  Most of them jumped into the shuttle and never looked back, happy to be leaving and happy to be alive.

From General Brindley's viewpoint as he looked out the port window at the two small ships that had so easily beaten twice the number of EAS Destroyers, they didn't look as formidable as he had expected them to be.  But he also understood that looks were deceiving.  He and his staff had reviewed visuals of the ships in action, but looking at them from up close didn't seem to give the presence of something could be considered that great a threat.  Indeed as some had said, they were too 'white', too pretty.  Actually they were more a light gray than white but it still gave that impression.

However, the more he looked at the larger ship the more serpentine it appeared to him, especially the cobra 'hood -like neck'.  There were no visible gun ports and both ships had far too many windows to considered true warships, as he understood the term.  The embarrassing defeat by _B5_ was bad enough, but these ships represented an unknown threat.  Earth Gov had demanded information on them and he had been the lucky one chosen one to carry out those orders.  Somewhere out there was a Human based government independent of the people of Earth.  It was a prescient that would not be tolerated by the present regime.  That poor long lost colony and its people needed to be secured and protected by the people of Earth and away from whatever alien influence that so obviously had contaminated their minds.  Family needed to come together again and share in the fruits of that reunion.  

There had been several intense arguments as to how to approach these people.  The first argument was to initiate direct contact, avoiding Sheridan altogether, but that would prove impossible as long as the ships were in _B5_ space.  However, the President's suggestion held sway.  Sheridan's morals would keep him from firing on the shuttle as it traveled to the _Enterprise_.  If this Picard chose to meet in full view of _B5's_ officers and crew, and the alien races then it was likely that support would dwindle and eventually Earth-Force could retake the station with minimum difficulty.   Persuasion would be difficult but not impossible.  After all, they wouldn't be given a choice.  The vessels were powerful but if Picard and his people did not agree to the terms, then they would be hunted down.  This new technology couldn't be placed in alien hands.

The General and his two aides, which included a covert Psi-Corps level nine telepath, stepped out of the shuttle and were met by an officer who called himself Commander Riker.  Brindley and his people walked towards him and waited expectantly for a moment.  

"Aren't you going to screen us for weapons?" Christov, the tallest of the three men asked.  He was an older man in his late fifties and hawk-like features and a cold smile that never seemed to leave his face.  "After all, we don't want to be accused of attempted terrorism onboard your ship."

"No," the man called Riker almost hissed.  "It's not necessary."

"So, this is a matter of trust?"  That classic look of contempt was clearly visible on Christov's face Brindley noticed.  Good.

"Not in the least," came the answer.  "We've already scanned you and your ship.  Now, if you will come with me."  He bowed slightly and pointed towards a set of double doors.

Christov was taken back momentarily, that false smile wavering just a touch.  Riker had to be lying.  Their shuttle detected no scans waves.  No scans were that detailed and undetectable the General thought.  But then he couldn't be absolutely sure of anything yet. 

Commander Riker, two security escorts and the three visitors entered the small room that was assumed to be an elevator of some kind.

"Deck sixteen," Riker said.  Immediately the chamber started moving horizontally, then vertically, much to the surprise to the three men.  Their understanding of gravitic engineering was indeed impressive.  Brindley barely felt the movement and he suspected that it was because they wanted him to.

"It's a interestingly designed ship," General Brindley said, stating the obvious.  "I assume that it has its own jump engines.  It must use at least four fusion engines to move the way it does.  Do you use a cold-fusion, plasma based energy generators in parallel or are they serial?"

"Something like that," came Riker's non-committal reply.

Inwardly, the general frowned.  There was going to be no information forthcoming from this insolent Commander.  The telepath smiled indifferently.  

The party walked through the corridors to Conference Room Five.  The General found himself smiling in approval of the overall layout of the room, which sported its own window, the other ship and _B5_ being plainly visible. His appreciation suddenly souredas soon as he saw Sheridan and his first officer Susan Ivanova already seated in two of the plush brown-colored chairs.  They had different colored uniforms now, not Earth Force regular, in fact not Earth force at all. However what really irked him was that they were present in the first place.  That was unexpected.

And the man standing next to them both had to be Picard.  A closer look confirmed his identity from the vid reports.   The General sized him up carefully.  The man clearly was an experienced military commander; of that there was no doubt.  And to his left was the woman Captain, Rachel Garrett.   From a different branch of their service he surmised as her ship was different and the uniform as well.  No less dangerous either.

Christov took his seat immediately eager to begin, while his aide Truman waited for the General to sit before he did likewise.

A few moments later everyone was seated.  Picard and Garrett sat next to one another, across from them. In addition the First officers Riker and Castillo of the Ambassador sat to their left.  

After a short introduction, Brindley watched as bulldog Christov as he was commonly known, proceeded.

"Captains, by your actions against the authorized Military forces of the Earth Government, you have in effect declared war against us, your own people. Your illegal actions crippled the _Rochester_, _Evanston_ and the _Lenmark_.  You destroyed the _Pournelle_, causing the death of over eight hundred fifty officers and crew, in addition to that four thousand troops being transported by said ship.  You call yourselves defenders," he accused, "but what were you defending?  A group of men and women who consciously and willfully hijacked the legitimate property of the Earth Government in order to hand it over to aliens, that's who!"  

"And you sit next to them," he continued, "as though you agree to every thing that those traitors represent.  Sheridan and his staff have violated every oath and promise they made, harboring other traitors and chaos-bringers like themselves.  And you bind yourselves to them proving that you all are Human traitors also."

"Mr. Christov," Picard started.  "Your Government fired on the Mars civilian colony.  How many innocent lives were killed by that action of you own military bombing those domes?"

"That's a lie!" he snapped, dismissing the entire statement as though it never happened.  That was confirmed a second later.  "The military would never have done that.  Martian insurrectionists, the same ones who faked those broadcasts, not EarthGov, perpetrated it.  The only true damage done was done by you and that traitor Sheridan."

That was his gift, to lie with a straight face no matter the opposition or circumstances.  Everyone looked at the man, who returned the stare with equal distain.  

"Computer," Garrett said.  "Play back military recording Sevana-two, combat date: three-six-four-zero point three."  Picard preferred the military-combat log type recording while she stuck to the star date, however when in Rome-  

A three-dimensional holographic image of Mars appeared.  In the center of the table was the recording of a probe that had been sent to Mars after the initial attack.  The first attack had not been recorded.  But the second attack clearly showed advanced Star Furies destroying a domed city.  The recording was irrefutable proof of Earth's involvement.

Susan seethed at what she saw on screen.  These were her people-Humans! -being slaughtered by her government who now insisted that they had nothing to do with it.  Had they lost it that much, or was so much fear that entire armies simply followed orders without thinking?  It didn't matter.  They were guilty whether they were following orders or not.  And as for herself she would never abide simply following orders without conviction, without taking the morality of it all into consideration.  She had something to say.  She took a breath and plunged in as she suddenly realized that Picard and his people didn't understand that that Psi-Corps was mixed up in this.

"Everything you've done up to now," she began, "is a smoke screen for what's really happening.   President Clarke is a murderer and Earth is being turned into a totalitarian state.  Our own people are afraid of you, the aliens want nothing to do with you and Nightwatch is nothing better than Gestapo wanna-be's.  As military officers sworn to uphold the constitution we will not stand idly by as you and your people destroy everything that uncounted generations have worked for."  

In an almost frenzy she got up and walked out into the hallway.  Castillo got up quickly and followed.

"Excuse me, Commander Ivanova," he said quickly as she caught up to her halfway down the hallway.   "We can't have you walking unescorted on this ship."

"I understand that," she said, quickly stopping to face him.  "Sorry about the hysterics but you have a telepath in the room with you.  "He's reading everything you say.  You have to get him out." 

"A telepath?" he repeated, letting it sink in.  The next instant:  "Castillo to the Bridge."

"Bridge here."

"Captain Picard must exit the meeting now.  Can you summon him as an emergency?"

"This is Lieutenant Yar.  Castillo what's wrong?"

"Picard must leave the conference now."

Tasha trusted him and his instincts completely. He was also her commanding officer.  "Acknowledged."  

A moment later yellow alert sounded and the words calling 'Captain Picard to the bridge' filled the air.

A moment later a concerned Picard exited the conference running headlong into Castillo and Ivanova.  Before he could even say anything Susan was speaking.

"You're being monitored by a telepath."

"Are you sure," asked a surprised Picard.  

He didn't seem as upset as he should be.  In fact he seemed far angrier at her storming out of the room than anything else. It was then that Susan realized that he didn't fully understand the implications.  What was wrong with them?  Didn't they have telepaths?  The moment she thought about his reaction, she realized the truth of it.  If they were from so far away, then maybe telepaths didn't developed as they had on Earth.  It was clear however, that he noticed the concern on her face.

"Commander, I understand the distress that this may cause you," he said, trying to tone down his anger at this breech of protocol.  "But it isn't cause for worry.  Just because the individual can read your mind doesn't shift the 'balance of power' in any appreciable way."

Was he crazy?  "Captain Picard, Psi-Corps by any measure, is a dangerous organization that as long as you are here will have to deal with.  I don't know about you or how you deal with telepaths if you have any, but they will try to strip you of anything of value on this ship."

"You make it sound as if you are at odds with your telepaths," he answered her.  "We have quite a few Betazoids, Vulcans and even one or two Humans who have those abilities," he answered.  "Although it can be difficult sometimes, we get along quite well.  And I have found that being able to read one's mind is not as simple as it may first appear to be.  But for your sake of mind and Captain Sheridan's, we will provide a suitable counterweight."  Turning to Tasha Yar:  "Have the Ship's Counselor meet us in the conference room."

_Babylon Five's_ population was a source of amazement and pleasure to a far-traveling being such as Guinan.  There were so many different aliens species here and she wanted to meet all of them.  And most of them wanted to meet her and of course find out a little more about the ships she was associated with.  In fact, she was scheduled to meet with a member of a species called Narn-a first citizen G'Kar to be exact.   Her doorbell rang.   He was prompt.

"First citizen, G'Kar," she said as she opened the door.  "It is so nice to meet you."

"No, the pleasure is mine," he said bowing eloquently.  She offered him tea and he drank deeply, surprised at the smoothness of the drink going down his throat.   "You've caused quite a stir around here.  The Earth Government wishes to examine your ship, in detail."  He stared at her intently.  "Between you and me," he said.  "I would not recommend that."

"Oh, I agree," she said smiling.  "We have began explaining that to them, but I don't believe that they quite understand yet."

"People understand only what they wish to understand.  My people haven't quite grasped this concept." 

Guinan watched him carefully as G'Kar thoughts drifted.  "You're suffering greatly for your people and they barely recognize it.   And there is something else..."

"You're very perceptive for a Human," he mentioned off-handedly.  "Is there a possibility that I could persuade you to do something for my people?"

She knew about the war between the Narn and Centauri and what had happen to the Narn planet and she grimaced slightly.   "Citizen G'Kar, The Federation starships will not enter into a conflict with the Centauri.  This station has enough trouble of its own without us adding any more to it."

The Narn understood her meaning.  "You've talked to Londo haven't you?  And he threatened you if you would dare to help us."  He became quiet.  "I won't disturb you any longer."  He got up to leave.

"Wait G'Kar," she said grabbing his shoulder.  "We can't supply weapons, but we will supply medical and humanitarian aid.  As an authorized representative of an independent government I can offer this, despite what other governments 'suggest' that we to do."

"They threatened you.  I imagine they want your technology."   His look of concern for her well-being was not missed by her.  "They must not have it."

"Absolutely," she confirmed.  "Some of their representatives have 'suggested' that we share.   But, it doesn't matter.   We will do what is in our best interest _and_ what we believe is right."

He wasn't sure what answer he expected but it wasn't that.  "You are a most interesting person, Ambassador,'" he admitted.  "You're nothing like what I expected you to be.  May I ask a question of a personal nature?"

"Feel free," she said as she sat down.

"What is your colony world like?  Is it much like Earth?  I have been there you know, several times."

She tensed slightly before she decided to tell him.  "My world no longer exists.  We were invaded by...a swarm that destroyed our system."

"How terrible.  The Federation could do nothing?"  

"They weren't aware of my people at that time.  We arrived as refugees to the Federation homeworld.  It was a good thing that they were unaware of our plight.  They would have been destroyed also."

The Narn was disturbed by the information.   "Perhaps if we had known we could have helped."

"No.  You couldn't have.  The good thing is that this part of the universe doesn't have to worry about the Collective," she answered, altering the truth slightly.  "It has enough problems of its own."

"Very true. And I have come to realize a strange truth since coming here to _Babylon Five_.  Sometimes some must be sacrificed so that the rest can be saved."

"That sounds like a saying that someone who has never had to sacrifice something of true value to them would say.  Sacrifice is given freely, not assumed upon someone, no matter the price."

"But sacrifice is necessary," he countered.   "You understand this."

"True sacrifice has awareness connected to it," Guinan told him.  "It is not placed upon someone without permission.  That is called murder, no matter how glorious the cause."

He sat back down, prepared to talk.  This was going to be a long and very interesting conversation he surmised.  

Lieutenant Deanna Troi entered the conference room and all the three men froze momentarily at the stunningly beautiful woman with the large eyes.  She sat next to Picard and he introduced her.  "This is our ship's Doctor and counselor, Lieutenant Troi, from the planet Betazed."  He looked off for a moment and then focused directly at Truman.  "She is here because, you are Mister Truman."

The man blanched slightly.  Was the woman telepathic?  He sensed nothing and relaxed slightly and then tensed again as discovered that he couldn't scan her at all.  How was she doing that?  He was being blocked, but oh, so subtly in a way he'd never experienced before.  It was almost familiar but at the same time totally alien.  Then he smiled at Picard, understanding that there was a balance that had just been struck here.  More importantly there were telepaths here on this ship, Humans that should be of part of the Corps.  After all, how could they really be comfortable living and working with the mind blinded mundanes?  

He had surface-scanned several members of this crew especially Picard and Garret.  Both of them were extremely focused and with this came problems.  Instead of them thinking about their ideas and plans beforehand, they simply knew at a sub-conscious level. And unless he performed more than a surface scan, the most he could 'see' would be partial images and half formed patterns.  What he had seen was that these people were completely different than most Humans.  Their belief systems and view of the universe did not conform to those thoughts he had always experienced as a telepath.  But this woman?

_What are you?_ he sent towards her.  

_A Betazoid_ she beamed back.

"How dare you bring a telepath into our proceedings without our permission?"  Christov had snapped, completely unconcerned that they had done the exact same thing.  

"She's empathic, Mr. Christov," Picard said, "We let you here onboard this ship in good faith and you brought Mr. Truman onboard without informing us that he had telepathic abilities.  Therefore at this time, I now I simply wish to maintain a balance between us."

General Brindley flushed a little when he realized that there were telepaths onboard.   Earth's telepaths had barely came into existence two hundred years ago and it was generally believed that these people may not have had many, if at all and certainly not onboard their ship.  These people were an unknown quantity and the number of aliens with them made him quiver with suspicion.  So he tried another tact.  

"Captain Garret, Captain Picard, assuming that you _are_ from some forgotten Earth colony, and not some, some ruse by Sheridan, surely you understand that we, the legitimate earth Government cannot have alien influence dictating policy.  _Babylon Five_ is ours to do with as we see fit-for the benefit of all."

"And your point is?"        

"You should be helping us," he said.  "Not fighting against us in a battle you cannot win.  The Earth Alliance has controlling interest on Proxima Centauri, Wolf 359, the Luyten stars, Cygni Alpha and the Ross stars. Every star within 20 light years is under our domain.  We have holding out to two thousand light years distant.  Your so-called Federation, if it exists, would have problems fighting a new, determined, united Earth government and the forces we can bring to bare.  Your previous enemies would be a minor in-convenience compared to what we could do."

He watched the Federation crew carefully as he spoke.  They seemed concerned but not as much as he had hoped. That, he didn't like.  "You are simply minor representatives involving yourselves in a private dispute.  How can we communicate with your superiors?  And what would they say when we told them that you involved yourselves with rebels against a legitimate government?  For all we know you two may be deserters or even renegades." 

The female Captain answered.  "Sad to say, we are too far to communicate directly with Starfleet, that much is true.  However Starship Captains are given autonomy in situations like these.   I know you don't believe we are renegades," she answered distastefully.   "And I find it interesting that one moment, you're threatening war with an organization you know nothing about and the next you're trying to be our friends."

"We aren't as bad as you believe despite some of the press you've heard from, let us say, dubious sources," he announced looking directly at Sheridan and Ivanova.  "There are alien predators out there whose purpose is to undermine the direct authority of Earth's territories.  We are defending ourselves with everything we can, Captain Garrett."

"And that means," Christov added sarcastically, "If it is in our interest to sacrifice some people, if we have to run over you to do it, we will.  No aliens will be allowed to run our lives, our destiny, if we can help it.  Mankind is for Humanity.  President Clarke understands that."  The man was practically shrieking as he spoke.  

"However," the General said.  "We can take this up with President Clarke.  If you and your vessels submit to an inspection, it is possible that we can legitimize your claims."  Picard's stare was icy and Brindley couldn't read what was behind the man's eyes.  

"So," Picard started.  "Instead of shooting at us at the first given opportunity, we supply you with the history of the Federation and maybe you will acknowledge our existence?"

Inwardly Brindley was overjoyed. This was what he wanted, information on these people-because that was power.  

"Yes, complete information," Christov added.   "Along with that information should be a exchange of technology and acknowledgement of our right of ownership of ownership of the _Babylon Five_ station."

Both Captains looked at the Earth representatives thoughtfully.

Everyone, especially, Captain Sheridan and Commander Ivanova tensed, as the implications were understood.  If these Federation people decided to agree to terms then both he and Ivanova would be confined, effectively jailed on this ship and they wouldn't even be able to do anything about it.  He cursed himself for being so naïve.  He trusted these people!  How could he have been so wrong?

To the side Brindley was trying hard not to smile, while Christov seemed to be actively gloating.  Truman was totally pre-occupied with the dark-haired woman who held his attention as completely as any spider would a fly.  She had effectively destroyed his concentration.  Picard then got up from his seat, and Sheridan was prepared for everything.  Instead of coming towards him he walked over to a computer console.  

"Well, Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse me," he said.  "But I need something to drink.  You've given me a lot to think about."  

_The man needed a drink?_  He couldn't believe it.  Judging by how wide her mouth was opened neither could Susan.   He walked over to a computer panel.

"Computer," he announced.  "Tea, Earl Grey.  Hot."

The food replicator complied.  Sheridan and Susan remained impassive but they were completely stunned by what happened next.   From nothing a shining light appeared, then a saucer and cup filled with steaming hot liquid.  Picard then asked he and Susan if they wanted anything.

"Coffee.   Kona, black, no sugar," Susan said, recovering quickly.

"Same please," he managed to say.  

Two more cups appeared from nowhere and their aroma smelled fabulous.  This was no hologram of some type, but the real thing.  It was unbelievable.  Sheridan noticed the three Earth Gov reps looking completely flabbergasted as Picard ordered a pitcher of ice water and several glasses, which also appeared as if by magic.  Christov was gaping like a fish and Brindley seemed like he was shivering.  Picard brought the pitcher and placed it on the table in front of everyone.  

To Sheridan it seemed almost like a dream.  The technology of these people astounded him every time he saw experienced it.  Picard sat down and sipped his tea, and then placed the porcelain cup down gently.  The Earth Gov trio stared at the pitcher of water as if it were the vilest poison imagined.   By the same token they were transfixed by this exhibition of raw power.  

"The tea is quite good," Picard said savoring its flavor.   Sheridan now understood that this little demonstration served as a form of intimidation.  It had worked beautifully because he noticed that everyone, including himself, was intimidated.

"Gentlemen, your proposal is unacceptable," Picard said to them with finality.   "We will not subject ourselves to a government that has no respect for the lives of its own people.  Our technology is not for sale."  Then Picard smiled.  "Only two thousand light years?"   

John had never felt as relieved as he did right now.  He was about to speak when Christov cut him off.

"You think this is over?" the man snarled.  "You will never get home wherever that is.  You have defied the government of a United Earth and have allied yourselves in with  traitors and aliens."  

"Get off my ship, Mr. Christov, before I have you thrown off."    

Picard didn't even wait for a reply as he pressed his com-badge ordering security to escort the trio to their shuttle.  It appeared as though Christov and Brindley wanted to say something more but a quick look at Picard and Garret caused them to change their minds.  The instant they left Picard turned to him and Susan.  His whole demeanor seemed to have changed once more into the diplomat he was earlier.  "Well.  That didn't go as well as I'd hope."

"No, it did not," Sheridan acknowledged.  "But it wasn't a surprise.  They want your ships, the information on the Federation probably as a way to determine the threat potential, and your technology, literally everything of value that you possess.   Very likely they even want your telepaths as well."

"The Betazoids onboard as with any members on these crews will not submit to any form of intimidation."

"But these Betazoids," he continued looking at Deanna who returned his stare. He personality and demeanor was very disarming.  "How many of them are there?  And just out of curiosity how do the normals get along with them?  That's something we haven't been able to do on Earth quite yet."

"Captain," Picard told him.  "The Federation encountered the planet Betazed in the first thirty years of its foundation.  It took sometime getting used to their uniqueness, but we never really had a problem with them."  Deanna's mother was another story but that didn't count.

"As for myself," Deanna began, "I am only half Betazoid.  My senses are more empathic in nature rather than telepathic.  But I can communicate with true telepaths easily and with certain people with whom I become close to."

"Then how many of the Betazoids were telepathic?" Susan asked.  Again, he noticed a slight edge to her voice.  Her suspicion of telepaths was legendary and her hatred of Psi-Corps even more so.

"All of them," came the reply.  "Except for those with brain damage,r nervous system disorders or disease.   But as a whole all six billion were natural telepaths."

"Six billion!"  _Six billion telepaths?_  Sheridan couldn't believe his ears.  A whole planet of Human telepaths?  And poor Susan looked even worse than he imagined he did as the implications sank in.

It was clear that Deanna found the look on his face amusing.   "Betazoids look like Humans and in many ways we're almost identical to you, minus a couple of internal organs native to our species.  But don't misunderstand me.  We're not Human, even though we are genetically close enough to produce viable offspring."

"Unfortunately," Picard added.  "Most of her people were killed in the war when the enemy exploded a strategic weapon in the planet's atmosphere.  Ninety percent of the population planet-side was killed and unless we can rebuild our environmentals, the planet will be poisoned for tens of generations." 

"There has been entirely too much death and killing in a war that should have never happened in the first place," he heard Deanna murmur.  

Empath she may be, but she radiated her emotions like a physical force.  She was the preverbal open book.  The pain and hurt was there for all to see.  Even Susan had softened, just a bit.  If what they had just told him was true, then it was simply another example of the difference between the two of them.  Earth and this Federation had completely different values and even though they were Human, he would have to deal with them in a slightly different level than the people he was used to.   

"I understand," Sheridan said.  And he did.  He was a warrior but he was also a builder now.  _Babylon Five_ was his to protect and now his own people were bigger enemies than the Minbari and a dozen other enemies known and unknown.  But the new addition these people might make the scales a little more even.

Picard sensed a bit more trust emanating from the Captain of _Babylon Five_ also.  He sighed and his decision was made.  "Captain, Commander.  Let me introduce you to the United Federation of Planet's _Enterprise-D_," he said smiling at the relief that his decision had given him.  

"First, I want to know about the coffee maker," Susan said still watching Deanna carefully.  That woman seemed to open to be true, she thought.  "Exactly how did you-?"

Commander Riker walked over to the so-called 'coffee-maker'.  "Like I said earlier, prepare yourselves.   This," he said pointing to the walled device, "is a food replicator.  It's a device that breaks down a quantity of matter and rearranges into any form we wish, in this case food.  It copies the molecular structure of any original sample and reproduces it perfectly, even though there are some people who claim to be able to distinguish the taste from the real thing."

"Anything?"   Susan Ivanova was looking at him with that 'tell me another one' kind of stare she reserved for outrageous liars.  "Can I test it?"  

She fully expected Riker to say no.  In fact, Picard noticed that she was daring him to say yes.  

Both of his eyebrows went up indicating that he had accepted her dare.  "Absolutely," he countered, smiling, which was clearly irritating the Commander.  "Just tell it what you want.  Be creative."  

"Never, " she murmured.  "I like the basics when it comes to eating."   Boldly, she waked to the replicator and spoke.   "Okay computer, I want sandwich.  A turkey on rye, lightly toasted on one side with Dijon mustard, lettuce, tomato and a Russian dill pickle.  It does know what Dijon is?" she added sarcastically. 

Then her mouth dropped about a foot as the sandwich began materializing from nothingness.  Gingerly she took the plate with the food on it and took a tentative bite.  It was good, very good.  Riker was trying not to smirk and failing all the while looking at her.

"Oh joy.  I should have ordered potato chips," she growled, and then looked away in embarrassment as the replicator processed her last request..  Silently she grabbed them and walked out the room with the rest of the now silent guests.  _Darn it_ she thought.  _I've forgotten about the Coke-_

More than an hour later, they ended in holodeck three.  As the group entered into the large room, both guests seemed confused.    So far they had seen so much that they were in a slight daze.  The engine room was a revelation.  Matter-antimatter power systems, warp capability instead of hyperspace travel, subspace communications, and the industrial strength replicators convinced them once and for all that this was not some type of elaborate trick.  Now they were in a green-cubed room that seemed somehow anti-climatic.  

"Computer, run program Picard alpha seven."

The entire room darkened and the group was surrounded by a star-system with a large yellow star in the center, which appeared to be giving off actual heat.  It looked and felt so completely real, that for a moment Susan, John and even Rachel were taken back. Even gravity seemed to have vanished.   It took them only a second to realize that this was the Sol system along with all the planets from mercury to Pluto and even that small tenth planetoid floating past Pluto.  

The third planet became larger and larger, finally giving the impression that they flying free-form pass the moon to an incredible space station orbiting what had to be Earth.  Several Federation starships-many were variations of the _Enterprise_ and _Ambassador _configurations-were observed entering and leaving the structure, which looked as large, or larger than the _Babylon Five_ station.

"My God," Sheridan whispered.  "You're not from some distant colony.  You're from our future!"  

"No," Garret answered.  "We're not.  We're from an alternate Earth."  The view of Earth had enraptured her as well.

"An alternate Earth?"  Susan whispered.  It came out as a question, but for some reason she knew that it was an answer to all of it.  

"As a matter of extending trust between you as us, you needed to know the whole truth.  We wanted to explain who and what we are."

"This is so much to digest."  Sheridan was gazing thoughtfully at the station and the multitude of starships floating past an Earth he never imagined.  "I've always understood the possibility of alternate realities.  Each time we travel in hyperspace, we're, in essence in another kind of space.  But to see such a difference shows me how much I don't know."

"That goes for both of us," Picard agreed.  "It makes me humble to see the differences accorded to each place we have traveled.   Even during the war, a small amount of time was given to exploration, which was our main charter."

"There's so much I'd like to know about you and your people and your technology."

"That can be arranged, within limits, of course."

"Of course," Sheridan replied.  He understood that everyone needed to maintain their own secrets.  

And at _Babylon-Five_ that truism was standard issue.


	9. Chapter 8

**   Chapter Eight**

**_"Within striking distance"_**

****

Onboard the Earth Alliance transport ship, General Brindley was still livid at being dismissed so curtly.  He was also angry at Christov's apparent misreading of the two Federation Captains so completely.  As a whole, they had learned very little.  Threats seemed meaningless when he couldn't back them up and even the Psi-Corps agent had been next to useless.   The woman lieutenant Deanna Troi had almost mesmerized the man.  He couldn't read her but had kept trying almost to the exclusion to all else.   They had seen almost nothing of the internal structure or workings of the ship other than the fact that it was filled with unknown aliens and had a good internal elevator system.  

-And some seriously frightening technology.

President Clarke's Cabinet had given him a directive and he had failed.  It wasn't good that an officer hand-picked by the President couldn't fulfill this diplomatic mission.  Too many good officers had rebelled in the first place and the others who wavered in their duty might see this as an erosion of the Presidency.  And he wouldn't have that.

Nursing a drink, he sat down next to Christov, whose ever-present smile was now missing.  "You pushed too hard," Brindley snapped at the man.  "The hard-line approach was a disaster with these people.  Didn't you realize that with Commander Riker's attitude staring you in the face?"

"I was following standard procedure," he responded glumly.  "Intimidation usually works.  It's the alpha male syndrome so to speak."  The somber expression he wore masked the true hatred of the depth of his failure.  The bulldog, the taking control I-am-superior-approach had worked on any number of individuals and usually brought about at least some concessions, but not here-not with these people.  "They are supremely confident of their capabilities."

"Overconfidence.  That will be their undoing," Brindley agreed speaking more to himself than his colleague.  "The reports are starting to come in.  And President Clarke has discreetly informed the other governments to back off.  Dealing with these ships will be an internal Earth Gov matter.  The Centauri however, might give us a little trouble.  They want to find out what's in those ships pretty badly and may or may not try to obtain it by force of arms."

"Then why don't we let them?  Soften those ships up a little then we can come in?  It would save us a lot of grief."

Brindley forcefully shook his head.  "No.  If they defeat those ships, then the technology will fall into their hands and I don't trust them as far as I can kick them.  They've been in too many disagreements with their neighbors already.  With that technological boost, they'll be worse than ever and we wouldn't be able to withstand shielded Centauri warships if their aspirations are directed towards Earth.  I don't imagine that many other races would be delighted about that either."  

"But even the Minbari have grudgingly agreed," he continued.  "Right now, it all depends on Delenn, but my sources indicate that her position may not be as strong as it seems."

The white-haired Christov fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair.  It was clear that he did not want to bring up the subject but it was equally clear that it was necessary.  "How did they produce the tea and water pitcher?"  He shivered slightly as memory pulled him back to the computerized-thing.  "Was that real or some type of elaborate trick?"

Brindley said nothing.  If it were real, then what they observed was nothing less than energy itself converted into matter.  That incredible device had been used as a subtle form of intimidation.  And it had worked quite well.   It couldn't have possibly been real, but on the other hand-

He had read the other reports that were beginning to filter in also.  There was the energy-spewing rifle that disintegrated, actually disintegrated no less, a portion of an armored breeching pod, the force fields that blocked open space, the artificial gravity on these ships that they themselves had experienced; these were facts.  Then there were as the ships weaponry, described by the survivors reports as an energy weapon able to gut the _Rochester_ and the _Lenmark_, a type of beam that was neither laser nor particle, but some type of unknown phased energy.  And then there was the obliteration of the_ Pournelle_ by the missiles whose warheads were not nuclear but some type of controlled anti-matter weapon.  The protection shield on the _Enterprise_ had reportedly withstood twin five-megaton nuclear strikes, without apparent damage.  This was incontrovertible evidence of completely alien devices controlled by Humans.  If the organization called Starfleet existed, he had no doubt that a small number of their ships could easily overrun Earth's defenses, unless they understood who and what they were fighting.  The Vorlons, the Minbari, and those other abominations would be mote points.

As a veteran of the Minbari war, the threat of alien domination was a fear both he and Clarke shared.  The aliens around them were too powerful, too much a threat.  Mankind needed to grow and expand, peacefully of course but on its own terms.  Man needed the protection and those ships posed a perfect example as to why Earth needed to stand united.  Mars, Proxima III, the Orion colonies and even _Babylon Five _are part of the united front.  Couldn't Sheridan and the others see the danger posed by these unknown creatures?

"United we stand, divided we fall," he whispered.  He turned to Christov.  "We can't allow them to separate us.  Clarke was correct.  No matter the breaking of eggs, we need to show a strong front now.  If nothing else we've seen or heard today, Picard and Garret demonstrated the dark powers we will face in the future.  The Minbari taught us that but we've forgotten, allowed them to dictate terms to us with _Babylon Five_.  Delenn influences Sheridan and thru him and others like him they attempt to influence us.  I won't have it.   The full blockade begins now.  Nothing comes in or out of _B5_ space."

"We can't control all of them," Christov protested.  

"We can control the Earth contingents and we can politically influence most of the others to some extent."  His eyes closed to mere slits.  "We'll starve them out.  Let the pirates bleed them to death.   And at a time of our choosing, those ships will be under our control. We'll make sure that no one will benefit from their existence and if it starts a war in the future so be it.  At least we will have an understanding and counter against them."

I am curious about learning a little more about the Federation relations with the Vulcans," Captain Sheridan mentioned.  "How did you start this relationship? And more importantly, how did it survive?  "Captain, how many years did you have to develop such an organization?"

Picard and company left the transporter room and headed towards the bridge.  "Like any good marriage the honeymoon was great.  However, as two people discover that they're now stuck together, the relationship was a bit strained.   But we managed and built something that we could be proud of, even after the war."

No wonder Stephen was over here every chance he got Sheridan thought.   It was amazing here; even the medical section was remarkable.  The doctor, Doctor Crusher, seemed every bit as professional as Stephen.  And it was true; Hiroshi was there.  She looked fairly well, considering what Stephen had told him of her injuries. 

"Captain Hiroshi?"  Sheridan and Ivanova hadn't known her personally, but they did remember her sacrifice.   She had some bruising on her face and arms but otherwise seemed well on the road to recovery.  She still had a little trouble breathing so her medical regimen demanded a slightly higher oxygen mixture inside the medical shield.  

"Captain Sheridan."  She was smiling now.  "I am so glad to meet you in person.  How is the station?  Have they attempted anything else yet?"

"No," he responded, sitting in the chair provided for him.  "Not yet, not directly.  How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," she answered, taking a deeper than normal breath occasionally.  "The facilities are amazing here.  I have to thank Captain Picard again for the help he has given me and my people, although he still won't tell me how he managed to get us off my ship."

He wanted to know the answer to that question himself.   "Exactly what have they told you?"  

"Not as much as I would like.  I know I am onboard a ship that contains a mixture of races I have never seen before and I know that their medical technology is very advanced and they have artificial gravity and great food, but other than that…"

Doctor Crusher pulled out her ever-present combat medical tricorder unit and scanned her patient once more.  "We haven't told her too much.  She's undergone a series of operations.  She'll need time to recover some more and the lung regeneration meds regimen will be completed in another two days.  Then she can transfer to _B5_, if she wishes."  Picard had given her permission to speak of their medical technology.   Dr. Franklin will continue the treatments as necessary.  She had already given him several of the combat med-units, a combination tricorder, dermal regenerator and bone-tissue fuser, for analysis and use.  As a single unit the instrument performed okay, however the instruments dedicated for specific usage were far more efficient.  The _B5_ techs could manufacture their own as they got a working understanding of the technology.  "By the way our gravity is generated from our gravity generators.  Many years ago though, we used something called gravity plating."    

"Well," he said, interrupting a conversation he had every intention of continuing in the very near future, "all I can say is that they come a very distant part of the galaxy, as you can see and they've help us out quite a lot.  I suspect that they'll be staying for a little while or until they figure out a way to get home." 

"What about the resistance?"

"Clarke has everything pretty well locked up.  Most of our comrades are free and avoiding capture so far, but essentially we are on our own.  Clarke is hunting them though.  The good thing is that the Minbari are helping to protect the station, at least for now.   But we are experiencing an embargo by Earth Gov, which will probably get much worse.  And there have been reports of pirates attacking freighters and passenger ships near local jump gates.  So life's been pretty busy for us.  However," he added.  "The good thing is that we have plenty of room and work at _Babylon Five_.  There is a place for you and your people on_ B5_ when you're ready."

His hand-com beeped and he sighed.  "Captain Sheridan," he said quickly.  "What's going on?"

"Sir," came the response.  "We have an emergency request for assistance from a Brakiri transport five hours from the nearest jumpgate.  They're on route here but are being chased down by unknown hostiles, presumed to be pirates.  They are requesting assistance."   

The entire hospital wing heard the audio transmission.  The Captain of the transport was desperate and asking from _B5_ post haste.

"This is the third time in as many days," the commander snapped.  "Each time, we've been too late."  

"Maybe not this time," Picard said.  

Even now Susan was moving and speaking into her own comm-link.  "Prepare my Star fury and be prepared to move out.  I'll be back in ten minutes.  We leave in twenty."  She and an accompanying security guard, leading they way, were already running towards the shuttle bay. 

"We would like to assist you," Garrett said.  

"Can your ship be ready?" Sheridan wanted to know as he followed both Captains out of medical bay towards some unknown destination.  "We'll take all the help we can get."

"We'll be ready when you are," she said as they entered a small room that contained a woman in front of a medium-sized computer console.  Sheridan noticed that the room had a platform with eight circular disc in an octagon shaped formation.  All in all, it looked rather bizarre.  The room's existence made no sense.  

"Captain Picard," the intercom said while Sheridan was still trying to figure out the room.  "The _Babylon Five _shuttle has left."

"Acknowledged."

Without preamble, Sheridan watched Garrett step onto one of the pads.  She turned around and faced him and smiled slightly.  

"We'll talk later," She said as she tapped her comlink.  "_Ambassador._ One to beam over."  She received an acknowledgement from her ship.  She looked at the Ensign manning the transporter controls.  "Energize."

Sheridan could have sworn that the captain had just winked at him. But now, he looked on in rapped awe as the woman faded away in a blur of bluish-white light.  What just happened?  In an instant he knew.  These people had some type of matter transit device!  To simply move by changing someone into energy and reconstructing them somewhere else was mind numbing.  But it did explain their replicator technology.  This was that taken to its logical conclusion.  

"My God," was all he could think of to say.  "That was how you saved Hiroshi and her crew…"

"Yes," Picard answered watching the _Babylon Five_ Captain closely.  "As you can see we do have some trade possibilities."

"I believe you do.  We need to talk about that.  Normally I would leave this to Susan but I do believe I can start.  What are you interested in trading?"

"The first thing that comes to mind," Picard admitted, "is second-generation gravity plating.  The second is an industrial replicator and power supply.  It will be able to manufacture just about anything you can think of.  It will help you on your way to becoming completely self-sufficient.  In return for data on your hyperspace technology we will give you the schematics and theory on warp travel.  In return for this we ask that you give us a small area to work on non-hazardous experiments concerning hyperspace, which we believe may offer us a way home.  Any and all data would automatically be shared and your scientists can work with us to ensure equitable trade.   We will follow all guidelines on environmental heath and safety and we will contribute to the protection of this station as you deem fit."

Sheridan shook his head. This felt like the biggest gold mine ever and it had just fallen into his lap. Already small changes were occurring as the Federation visitors paid in gold and some extremely precious metal currency called gold-pressed latinum.  Already its value was apparent as storeowners tried to obtain as much of it as they could.  It helped the stations solvency.  They might just survive this whole ordeal after all.  Hopefully it wouldn't bite him in the future.

Captain Garrett materialized in the _Ambassador's_ transporter room one where her second-in-command met her.   "We have an away mission, Castillo," she preempted.  The _B5_ fighters are about to go on a rescue mission and we're accompanying them."

"The ship is ready," he responded as they entered to lift.  "Bridge."

"Are they using their jump gate?" he asked.  

"Yes, and it will be a great opportunity to gather data on the phenomenon, so make sure the science teams are ready."

Both officers entered the bridge and the crew snapped to attention.  That was a tradition onboard her ship.  After that, the ever-present music was back on.  In fact, the only time it was off was during potential combat situations, such as now.  "Time to turn it off," she said slowly. 

"Aye, sir."

The music disappeared.  She could feel the ships systems powering up.  Everything showed green.  Now all they had to do was wait.

Commander Susan Ivanova's Star Fury dropped from its birth hitting open space in less than a second.  The single man fighter was highly maneuverable, fast and built for high stress combat missions.  Behind her six more of her teammates formed up behind her.  Some of them were new and with that revelation there was a stab of hurt.  Normally there was a complement of forty-eight Star Furies on the station, but since the recent hostilities they now had fifty-two.  Therefore four were always out on patrol.  Several of her people had been killed less than ten days earlier and she was never one who could fully ignore the hurt of her losses.  But duty was duty, and she was resigned to it.  It was the Russian blood in her she mused.   

"Okay we're going to have company with us," she said into her communicator.  See that big white ship following us?  They're giving us backup."  Her teammates were close enough for her to see them turn to watch the white cruiser mimic their actions at a discreet distance.  She smiled as it held their attention longer than it should have.  This was their first time seeing the starship's unique lines up close.  Even the thrusters seemed bizarre.  If they thought that was strange, then it was good that they hadn't had the ten-cent tour.  She punched in the code for jumpgate activation and prepared herself for the sudden acceleration into hyperspace.  

Each time she experienced this in a Fury, she never lost the sheer wonder of it all.   As she entered the gate's threshold, she felt the pull of another existence and then the stars were gone, replaced by a bluish swirl of light.  In here, space or hyperspace, was compressed allowing you to get to places faster because everything was closer.  It allowed you to move faster than the speed of light in non-normal space.  It also changed color depending on which direction one looked.  The major drawback was that there was nothing to landmark for navigation, and the possibility of being permanently lost all too real.  If a ship did not have its own jump engines, it could not exit hyperspace on its own without the use of a jumpgate.   So to prevent this disastrous problem, a series of marker-buoys were placed in strategic areas, to mark position and direction towards available jumpgates.  

She checked her instrumentation to make sure the _Ambassador_ was behind them.  She had a comm link to the starship.  What amazed her-again-was that a ship that size didn't have jump engines of its own.  Exactly what did warp drive do?  

Two hours later, the team exited hyperspace via the same gate the Brakiri were attempting to get to.

"If these are the same pirates who attack earlier then they won't leave much evidence or anybody alive to identify them.  We're still just over two hours away so let's move it."  Quickly, from years of experience, she calculated the best possible trajectory as to where the freighter would be and vectored in that direction.  Changing the comm frequency she attempted to contact the besieged ship.  "Brakiri vessel, this is the_ B5_ squadron.  Stay on you present vector.  Hold on.  We're on our way," she said over her comms.

The response signal was full of static.  "Please hurry," a voice screamed.  "They have hit us twice and our port engine is down.  We cannot outrun them.  It is at least twenty attack vessels and they are after the Quantium forty ore we are carrying."   

"We're on our way," Susan tersely responded.  "Hold on."   The ore was used in the production of jump gates and as such very valuable.   Quickly she did the calculations. It would take one and a half hours at maximum burn.  They were not going to make it in time-again.  She and the others kicked in their thruster's full throttle just as the _Ambassador_ overtook them.  For a second it actually frightened her at the ease in which the ship moved.

She smarted slightly as Garrett signaled her.  She was in concentration mode and really didn't like to be bothered during those times by unnecessary questions, but she forced herself to tolerated it in this case.  

"What is it?"  _Darn it!_ That came out harsher than she intended.

"Our sensors have locked onto the vessel.   There are two hundred seventy lifeforms onboard, multiple causalities and the port engine has been shut down.  Hull integrity is down by forty percent.  They're being attacked by eighteen small, single seat fighters.  There's also another larger ship some distance behind them, but closing fast."

Susan sighed once more.  Their scans must be pretty powerful to get such detail from this distance.  Typically the news was always bad and getting worse.   The odds were bad but with the _Ambassador_ they had an edge…if they got there in time.

"Commander," the Captain continued.  "We can give you a ride.  I can have my ship tractor you to them much quicker, if you wish."

She didn't even think twice.  "Thanks, we can use all the extra time we can get"

"Hold on and enjoy the ride," Garrett said.

Susan quickly informed the others as the Federation vessel eased to within less than five hundred meters of her formation.  There was a small jolt as their tractor beams locked onto her Star Furies and tucked them neatly underneath the saucer section.  A couple moments later, she was surprised as she felt gravity inside her ship.   Some sort of field must be surrounding their ships she surmised.  Nice.

"Your ships are surrounded by a gravity/inertia field so you'll be protected," Garret said.  "We'll be there in twenty seconds."

_Twenty seconds!_ her mind screamed.  Their warp engines must have pinpoint jump capability.  Why then didn't they use it instead of going through the jump gate?  Before she could even finish her thought the stars around her began to move faster and faster, almost becoming streaks.   She thought she saw a comet go by but it was to fleeting for her eyes to confirm whether it was real or simply her imagination.  The speed was incredible, but she felt no g forces, nothing, and still the gravity in her ship felt Earth standard.  She did notice that her crewmates were unusually quiet.  As for herself, she did manage to utter a question.  "How fast?"

"One quarter light speed," Castillo replied.  "Any faster and we'd overshot our target."

_Overshoot?  In normal space?_  "Time distortion?"

"Not a problem," Garrett answered.  "Exiting…now."

One moment there was nothing but the streaking of countless stars in front of her and the next instant, she was less than a six hundred kilometers from the firefight.  Weightlessness re-established itself, as did inertia as she was released from whatever forces had held them.  

She grimaced as she quickly surveyed the damaged Brakiri vessel listing because of the continuous firing by the pirate fighters.  Her team immediately moved into formation and attacked the nearest fighters blowing them into pieces before they could react.  The sudden presence of the large unidentified ship and the Star Furies had completely surprised them.  Ivanova's people got in the first strike, each one taking out their acquired targets.  But now it was a little more than two-to-one and the pirates were regrouping quickly.

Susan glanced quickly at the starship as the _Ambassador_ moved off slightly and accelerated towards the pirate mothership quickly moving in on their position.  Before she disappeared from sight, action from three enemy vessels died as pinpoint phaser shots disabled them.   

The pirate mothership, seeing the white alien homing in on them at extreme speed fired an impressive array of weapons systems at it.  The alien ship never blinked, and the pirate commander ordered a fast retreat.  A jump point began forming generated by the vessel.   The commander hated to leave his people and such valuable treasure, but it was either that or be caught.   Quickly his vessel turned and raced for the jump point, all the while firing missiles at the unknown vessel in an effort to slow it down.

The alien vessel returned fire and the pirate vessel's jump engines ceased to function.  The jump point opening faded away, closing their escape route.  Then the ship fired again and the weapon systems were destroyed.  The ship fired once more, hitting engineering, and the pirate vessel was marooned in space, helpless.  

They received a one-word transmission from the alien ship.

"Stay."

With the loss of ten fighters and the mothership, the pirates didn't have a chance and they knew it.  They surrendered even as the _Ambassador_ moved in on them from the rear. 

An hour later, the Brakiri vessel was repaired enough to continue its journey to _Babylon Five_.  The prisoners were transferred to the _Ambassador's_ detention area and the mother ship's logs downloaded for further evaluation.   That little job had been performed by Commander Sisko, even before the mother ship's crew had a chance to destroy the evidence.   Finally there was the decision to tow the ship to _B5._

The Brakiri vessel entered the jump gate about ten minutes in front of their escort.  Suddenly the gate activated once more before the _B5_ team could enter.  Two _Omega_-class EAS warships and over sixty _Thunderbolt_-class Star Furies exited and immediately vectored in and locked onto the _B5 _Furies and the _Ambassador_.  

"Red alert," Castillo ordered as the enemy Earth warships vectored towards them at attack speed.

Federation shields glowed brightly as the two heavy warships fired simultaneously at the _Ambassador_, which had extended its shields around the _B5_ Furies.  They hadn't asked for identification or surrender, they simply fired every particle-energy weapon they had.  They clearly understood who and what the Federation ship and _B5ers_ were.  Their orders were crystal clear.  Bring them down as fast as possible.

"Commander Ivanova," Castillo said.  "Shut down you systems.  We're transporting you to our ship's shuttle bay."

"Roger that," Susan confirmed.  She had no idea what she meant by 'transporting' but it was clear that her people needed to get to the back of the _Ambassador's _hanger bay.  Those defense fields were the only thing that separated her and her crew from obliteration.   It was an amazing device, a form of protection that she would definitely inquire about as soon as possible.

As she and her teammates reached the rear of the cruiser, she felt a tingling sensation, and for a moment, existence had no meaning.  Then she and her ships were nestled in the shuttle bay.  It took everything she had not to throw up inside her helmet, as she knew from the sounds that two others had.  It was just like the food replicators taken to its logical extreme.  She sincerely hoped that she was still herself and not some perfect copy that'd never know the difference.  She was too shocked to be angry at the experience.

Already the _Ambassador_ was backing up at maximum speed, shields deflecting full-powered blasts from heavy particle-lasers and cannons from both of the _Omega_-class destroyers, which were matching the starship's increased speed.   

"Shields are down to sixty percent," Sisko announced.  Commander Ivanova had just reached the bridge still in a state of mild shock.

"Welcome to the Bridge, Commander," the Captain said.  

"Quite an interesting way to travel," she managed to blurt out.  The ship rocked again, even through the shielding.  That gave her a small measure of almost sadistic comfort.  At least these people weren't invincible.   But this really was a bad time to learn about it.

"Is our prize secured?"

"Yes, sir," Sisko answered, "but not for long.  They're specifically targeting the vessel."

"Captain, shields at fifty percent."

Those ships were capable of matching or even exceeding the starship's sub-light speeds.   They set this up she realized with a start.  "Susan I believe Earth Force is behind the pirate attacks in the first place.  They were hoping for something like this to happen.  Probably not us specifically but we just happened to come along for the ride.  The fact that they're coming in so hard means that they had information that we were here."

"They want you specifically now."  The Commander was silent for a moment as she took that in.  It was entirely possible.   They probably were hoping for a surprise attack.  But with only two warships they would not have had the firepower.  Why had they attacked without backup? 

"I agree."

First officer Castillo ordered the jettison of their prize.  Immediately it was destroyed by Fury fire.   The unhampered _Ambassador_ was going evasive now, slowing outrunning the less maneuverable _Omegas_ when another jump point formed starboard side.  Two more of the large battleships emerged less than thirty thousand kilometers and closed in on the _Ambassador_, attempting to box her in.

Four to one again," Rachel muttered.  She went blank for a moment.   

"Captain!"  

The prodding by Sisko and Castillo prompted her from her lethargy.  Now, she was angry.  "Never again," she snarled.  "We could run," she said to Susan and the crew.  "But, we won't."

Her ship shook under the bombardment of the four ships.  She ordered emergency evasive as the first two _Omegas_-class battleships fired as salvo of nuclear weapons directly at the ship.  

They had made a mistake Rachel surmised coldly.  "Enough.  Lock on to the lead ship," she ordered.  "I mean the bridge specifically."  

They had assumed that because her ship was smaller than the _Enterprise-D_, that it was an easier target.  _But this ship is a battleship, one generation removed _she reminded herself viciously.  That's why the Romulans had attacker her en mass and still she had managed to hurt at least two of them. 

Sisko said nothing, his face betrayed nothing as he keyed in the target.  "Locked on to the bridge."  

The ship rumbled as the nuclear payloads, having missed their targets exploded producing shock waves that buffeted the starship.    

"Open a channel."

"Channel opened."

Captain Garrett said one word.  "Stop."  

The _Omegas_ fired as second salvo of nuclear missiles as the second two EAS ships came into firing range.  Shields were at fifteen percent now and several conduits had blown.   She hadn't wanted this fight but she was never one to run away from one either.  

"Fine," she said.  "Mr. Sisko, fire phasers, full power."  

The linear-array type eleven phasers slammed into the bridge section of the closest battleship, vaporizing the bridge and eviscerating the front third of the doomed vessel.  Photon torpedoes blew one of the secondary vessels to pieces.  Its sister vessel immediately went from offensive to evasive, retreating to a distance of more than a half light second before phaser beams lashed out almost completely crippling the fleeing ship in the process.  

Garret was in a fury now, her thoughts recalling another one-sided battle.   This was the second time she had come to the aid of someone and been attacked because of it.  No more she swore.  She ordered the _Ambassador_ to head directly for the last, undamaged vessel, its shields swatting the small single fighters out the way with impunity.  

The last remaining undamaged EAS warship had turned to run.  It was firing every nuclear missile that remained at the starship even as it opened a jump point in its attempt to escape.  The _Ambassador's_ phasers destroyed the majority of the projectiles and launched three photon torpedoes that intercepted the warship just as it entered the distortion field.  

On the bridge, the _Ambassador's_ crew saw the rear of the warship burst into small particles as the first of three torpedoes hit and the anti-matter warheads blew.  The point closed, just as sensors detected the shockwave signaling the ship's death.  There was wreckage everywhere and several of the enemy Star Furies had sustained significant damage.  

For their sake Garrett hoped that the surviving battleship wouldn't be foolish enough to come after them.  "Plot a course to _B5_, and engage warp six."   

The _Ambassador_ reversed its trajectory, rotated on its z-axis and jumped to warp six again stunning Susan.  She determined that she would never be stunned by these people again.  A small hint of grim amusement flushed her face as she imagined how the crew of the surviving _Omega _ would react to what just happened.   At the same time she was appalled by the destruction she'd just witnessed.  But she suppressed it before it could take over.  It was going to get a lot worse before it got better.  There were Shadows in the winds.

The stars were streaking passed at unimagined speed.  This was nothing like hyperspace.  

"How fast are we traveling?"

"Three hundred ninety two times light speed," Sisko answered.  "But what you see on the screen is simply a computerized representation of what's really out there.  We will be at _B5_ in a half an hour."

"Not bad for a non-hyperspace jump."  She wanted to ask how fast this ship could travel but she refrained from the asking.  That would come in the future.  She had enough to think about now.  The Earth Alliance almost had them.  The embargo would now tighten, she realized.  Just and other problem to deal with, she thought.  But right now, she simply relaxed a little and enjoyed the ride-as much as she could.

Captain Sheridan watched as the _Ambassado_r warped into _Babylon_ _Five_ space a full hour before the Brakiri vessel transitioned its jump gate. Even before she arrived the combined crews had heard the scathing fury of Earth Govs ISN version of the events that had just taken place.  

"Four EAS warships were ruthlessly and brutally attacked by elements of the _Babylon Five_ and the renegade Federation deserters near the Brakiri Jump gate four, this evening," the reported began.  "The surprise attack resulted in the loss of two _Omega_ class warships, the _Cheyenne_ and _Midland_, with the loss of all hands onboard, another ship was rendered completely inoperable with over two thirds of the crew lost and the other severely damaged with significant loss of life.  As shown in these images brought to us by the survivors of the sneak attack, we can clearly see the alien renegade vessel firing its deadly missiles at two EAS ships who were not even aware that the pirate ship was in the area."  

The image showed several photon torpedoes impacting the area around two EAS ships, causing the breakup of one and that shockwave literally knocking the other from its established trajectory.  The phaser barrage was shown next hitting the escaping _Omega_-class warship squarely amidships.

"The Captain responsible for such a loss of life has been identified as Captain Rachel Garrett of the Federation starship _Ambassador, _an organization devoted to conflict and conquest of their section of the galaxy. She and Captain Picard of the _Enterprise_ and her co-partner in crime have associated themselves with Captain John Sheridan and his rebellious officers who currently hold _Babylon Five_ hostage."  The view screen switched to show Captains Picard, Garrett, and Sheridan together forming some type of unholy triumvirate.  An ESA officer identified to the public as General Brindley appeared next to explain the situation to the viewers.  To the audience, he appeared deep in thought.

_Captain Drake was right _the General contemplated harshly_.   No less than eight heavy ships attacking either ship would guarantee success; probably another four should be added to make sure.  And that's only if they achieve first strike._

He began speaking softly into the camera.   "Recently I had a meeting with Captain Sheridan to try to find a peaceful solution to the escalating situation.  Picard and Garrett were very belligerent and refused to negotiate.   They even condoned the illegal use of their personal telepaths during the meetings.  There was no regulation and their blatant use of them frankly astonished me.  My staff and I were shown the door after the negotiations broke down.  I was concerned for my staff and myself as we left.  With their attitudes, I wasn't sure if they would have blown up my shuttle or not."  

"In retrospect, I feel sorry for Sheridan," he continued.  "He looked so confused, almost as though he was drugged.  He wasn't receptive to anything we had to say.  I truly believe that he is under some type of influence, alien or not, I cannot say.  But he is no longer the man we once knew…" 

"As for the so-called Federation ships, I suspect that they are a vanguard for a potential invasion of this section of space."    

Brindley and quite a few officers have had reviewed the video logs in detail-which were sent priority transmit by the surviving _Omega_ ESA- and grimaced at the god-awful range of the ship's energy weapons.  The effective kill range had to be close to one light second.  Between that, that cursed defensive shielding and those long-ranged missiles, Earth forces couldn't touch them.  Something had to be done about those shields.  That was a priority now.  

Then there was the ship's speed.  It didn't use jumptech but something else entirely as the distortion blast indicated, when it entered faster than light propulsion.   And there was an even more disturbing point, the telepath, before he was shut down by that woman, kept 'overhearing' the phrase 'alternate universe'.  It was amazing, he thought, what one could identify in an hour.  "President Clarke was correct in his assessment of the dangers of alien influences.  We must be ever more diligent."

The woman reporter turned to face the camera directly.  "Thank you, sir," she said as he moved off.   "In a statement earlier, President Morgan Clarke expressed his personal and profound sorrow of the loss of so many brave men and women."  

The image switched to show President Clarke, a balding, seemingly stressed man in his early fifties looking more somber than Humanly possible.  "This is a day I prayed would never happen," he started.  "Alien forces and influences had wantonly and without provocation attacked and destroyed our ships and thousands of loyal, dedicated men and woman.  They have declared war on the people of Earth in a manner not unlike the time the then United States was pulled into war by elements of the Japanese Empire over three hundred years ago.  And I say this as the President of that great country-to the enemies of the planet Earth.  You have awakened a sleeping giant!"

Sheridan looked on in disgust.  Delenn, next to him listening placed her hands in his.  It was amazingly comforting.

"He didn't even get the quote right," John murmured bitterly.

President Clarke shivered inside his office, not from the chill in the air but from anger and fear.  The loss of several more ships and the continual humiliation of his people's inability to exterminate Sheridan and the rest made him feel as though he had lost control in the eyes of the people.  That was unacceptable.  He had fought, lied and killed for this power.  Even ex-president (and now dead) Santiago hadn't stopped him from obtaining it.  He would never lose control.  He'd promise himself that he'd kill everyone before he'd relinquish control to anyone.  

Elements of Psi-Corps supported him, but he couldn't trust the telepaths either.  They had their own agenda.  However, there was someone who could help him savage the situation.  He activated his private, secured line.  "I want to speak to Mr. Morden," he said.   He waited patiently-for as long as it would take to talk to him. 

"B'Elanna moved into her own quarters today," Benjamin Sisko said as he took a sip of coffee.   Rachel had invited him in to talk shop instead had wound up doing most of the talking.  She should have gone to Picard and she almost did several times, but in the end she chose to speak to him.  The comradely rapport that had developed between the two of them these past few weeks had turned into a sounding board for her.  And he was more than content to listen.

"Good. I'm glad she's calmed down.  It was amazing how much distrust she had against us considering that she's half Human.

"Humans who for the most part abandoned her.  She's barely an adult."  He took another sip.  "What choice did she have?"

"Her temperament is worse than Worf's," she answered.  "But Counselor Troi seems to be getting thru to her."

"I believe that it's because they have something in common."  

"That they both have mixed heritages?"

"Yes," he confirmed.  "And a common bond to Humanity.  Deanna and from what I understand her sister, responded well to their heritage because both parents were there and they were accepted into the community.   B'Elanna on the other hand grew up fighting everybody, believing that neither side would accept her.  And of course she was stuck on the Klingon home world and you know what that was like."

"How did we get to this point?" she exclaimed.  

"War.  Here, there, it's basically the same everywhere we go.  The reasons boil down to lust for power or the need for survival," he said.   "Someone once told me that war stood for We Are Right."

The Captain stretched then moved her head from side to side.  "All of my professional life, I have followed the intent of the prime directive.  I have always been primarily an explorer. I love it.  There's so much out here to see and experience, whether we're in this in our universe or not."   She looked thoughtfully, reflecting on the recent events in her life.  "I've taken more life in the last few weeks that I could have possibly imagined.  Romulans, Humans; there have been so, so many.  

Rachel started whispering softly now and her eyes glazed slightly.  "When they attacked, I faded for a second.  I was back fighting the Romulans.  But my heart I knew it was different.  They attacked us because they assumed that we were the weaker of the two.  I wanted to make it clear that we weren't.  I tried to be merciful in not firing on them at first.  That was my first mistake."  Her concentration returned to Ben.  "My second was not wiping them all out.  I want them to understand without a shadow of doubt that to mess with my ship is to invite death.  My blood lust was up.  I was afraid for my ship and my crew.  Is this the result of living with the threat of constant war?  Am I to become someone who is willing to kill thousands by uttering a simple word?"

"You gave the order.  I pressed the buttons," Ben said.  "I am beginning to believe that you are the embodiment of what is good in our Federation.  But you're not from my reality, Rachel.  You and your original crew haven't had to live in the terror years of war and the fear of losing your loved ones at some weapon's whim.  But there is the moral choice here.  You did what was necessary.  The question is 'can you live with those choices'?"

The woman straightened up.  "I'm a starship Captain.  It's my job to make the hard choices." Then she looked at him and added: "But it is good to have that support when those choices come to the fore."  She laughed a little lightening the tension.  "I think I'll have Worf and B'Elanna tour the station with me tomorrow."

"With how much security?" he asked with some amusement.

"Just you and possibly Deanna."  She laughed at the look Ben gave her.

"You really are insane, ah, Captain."

"I'm a Captain of an _Enterprise_, Commander," she laughed.  "We're all crazy, even Picard.  Check our histories.  From Archer to him," she said pointing towards the _Enterprise-D_.  We all make the difficult choices." 

"Red alert!   Captain to the Bridge"

Both ran into the bridge.  "Report!"

"_B5_ just went on alert.  _Enterprise_ shields just activated and she's powering up. "I…no!"

On the view-screen as haggard face appeared.  "We ask _Babylon Five_ for asylum against our enemies, the Federation," the Klingon said moments after his ship de-cloaked.


	10. Chapter 9

**    Chapter Nine**

****

**_               "Judging a Book by its Cover"_**

****

Captain Sheridan watched in alarm as the Federation battleship USS _Enterprise-D_ and two Minbari _Sharlin_-class war cruisers eased into attack position in front of the unknown vessel that had literally appeared in their mists less than twenty kilometers of _B5_.  He didn't like this unannounced visit at all, especially in light of the recent events.  The bizarre and truly dangerous looking individual on his screen had asked asylum from his enemies the Federation.  Picard's ship's shields and power ratings were as high as he'd ever seen them.  All of its attention was focused on this unknown vessel whose every line exuded threat.  

"I repeat," the male said.  "We come in peace and request asylum from our enemies of the Federation."  Quickly he had his crew checked the ship's status.  So far the ship's weapons were hot but not targeting anything specific.  Moreover, the cruiser was in rough shape, it's hull drilled in several spots and the power ratings fluctuated even as the readings were confirmed.

"I will speak to the commander of this station," the Klingon half demanded.  

"This is Captain John Sheridan."  How did that ship just appear like that?  It was like the rumors of the Shadow vessel's abilities, some form of cloaking technology most likely.  

Even on the vid screen Sheridan noticed that the Klingon could barely suppress his disgust at treating with a Human.  " I am Koral, Commander of this vessel.  Tell you're Federation dogs to cease hostilities before we destroy them.  We have items to discuss."

It was clear that diplomacy was not one of their strong points.  That ship's power signature was fluctuating, but if they fired on _B5_ the resulting damage could be catastrophic.  Sheridan the warrior-turned-diplomat chose his words carefully.  "You will power down your weapons and lower your shields, now.  If you do not we will blow your ship out of space," he growled, matching the Klingon's posture and attitude.  "In case you haven't noticed, every weapon in this general area is trained on your ship.  Lower your weapons now or I promise you there won't be enough of you left for us to clean up."

Koral, the highest ranking officer left alive on the _k'vort_-class attack cruiser _K'mpec's Honor_ unconsciously licked his lips.  He didn't care about the weapons of the space station but the two Federation ships and those oversized unknown fish ships would insure his death and the death of his people.  The crew looked to him for leadership but he was unclear as to what to do in this situation.  They were trapped in a place where Klingons never existed.  There were no Vulcans, no Andorians, no Romulans, no frame of reference for him or his people, no one except the Humans.  There were only these Humans, existing in another universe and who had never heard of the war.  It was more than strange he thought, that the only safe haven they could think of were the counterparts of their most hated enemy.

Many of his people were less than pleased with his decision and tried to explain this to him by trying to gut him as though he was a targ.  But he had survived the assassination attempts and those three who dared try to kill him would never counterman his orders again.

Sensors indicated two of the hated Federation vessels fully prepared to destroy his ship and he could do nothing about it except maybe fire one or two defiant disruptor shots at them.  Even now he did not quite understand why they hadn't attacked already.  It was so typically Human.  He assumed perhaps that they enjoyed tormenting their helpless prey.  The station offered salvation of a sort but if the Humans fired he'd make sure that they'd remember the _K'mpec's Honor_.   

Onboard the _Ambassador_ Garrett was in hot conversation with Picard.  "We will not fire unless fired upon."

"Captain, that is a Klingon heavy cruiser out there," Picard snapped.  "If they decide to strike first at _Babylon Five_, tens of thousands will die before we can stop them.  I will not allow that to happen-again."

"Are you saying that you will condone a pre-empted strike on that vessel?"  She was shocked at the virulence of Picard's attitude.  At the same time she understood the depth of his hatred of his enemies.  But he was a Federation Captain, no matter what and his responsibility overshadowed his personal feelings.  She had gone thru this less than a day earlier.   And what did he mean by _again_?

She watched him shake with fury as he warred within himself.  Behind him stood First Officer Riker looking even colder than the Captain.  It took perhaps a half a minute before he could mutter something.  "Do you have a plan?" he managed to blurt out.

"Actually, yes with Sheridan's permission.  We have someone the Klingons might be interested in talking to."

It took Picard a moment to realize her intentions.  "You mean the other Klingon?"

"You mean Worf," she countered.  After all this time he still refused to use Worf's name.  

"Yes!" he answered sharply.  "Will he cooperate?"  

"I believe so.  I'll let you know shortly."

"Captain," he said with a hint of menace.  "When this over, we need to talk in my Readyroom."

"No, Captain," Garrett hissed, equally tense.  "We need to talk in my Readyroom."  

Standing behind each Captain, both First Officers silently planned to be as far away from that particular conversation as would be as possible.

Garrett then cut the link to Picard and established a link with Command and Control–_Babylon Five_.  "Captain Sheridan, I think I may have a way out of this," she said.

"Let's hear it."

Five minutes later Worf's image was onscreen to the absolute amazement of the Klingon commander and crew.

"Captain Koral cease hostilities," Worf snarled.

"Who are you?" Koral snarled back.  His eyes went wide at the sight of the Klingon onboard a hated Federation ship.  He wasn't sure what to do.  So many things were coming at him so fast that he was having trouble trying to keep control of the situation.  "Why are you on a Federation ship?"  That was a stupid question he immediately realized.  The Klingon was obviously a prisoner.  He felt like a fool but didn't dare turn around to see if the crew was mocking him.

"I am Worf, son of Morg, son of Worf," the Klingon answered.  "I am no longer a prisoner on this ship," he lied.  Well, it wasn't really a lie, more like a technicality.  "They have no wish to capture or destroy you.  Your ship is damaged and there is no honor dying in a fight that has no meaning.   Things are…different here.  Do you wish to know of that difference and the truth I have discovered, or will you die in ignorance?"

The Klingon Captain actually looked relieved.  Worf had provided an excuse, no matter how flimsy, to keep him and his people from getting killed in useless battle because as of now, they didn't have a chance.  He knew that.   "We are standing down, on your honor, Worf."

"We will contact you," Worf announced as the vid feed terminated.  He noticed that Garrett had caught that look of disgust and disappointment on his face.  Strangely he felt that he owed her an explanation.  "They are a defeated people," he said his voice rising.  "He should have fought my words more." 

"So, you're saying that you would have preferred them to commit suicide in some glorious display of valor and honor?"

"Yes," he said.  "And no."   He breathed deep, resigned to the role he was about to play.   "B'Elanna and I are no longer alone."

An hour later in _Babylon Five's_ closed chamber, Delenn, Captain Sheridan, Ambassador Londo Mollari, who demanded to be in on this first contact meeting, both Federation Captains, Commander Sisko, Worf and an impressive number of security guards waited for the Klingon contingent to arrive.  Unlike average first contact situations most of the members expected it to be at best, a dubious meeting, Sheridan in particular.  Still he had only heard one side of the story and he intended to listen carefully to these new people.  Delenn represented the Minbari and Kosh the Vorlon ambassador was invited also but as usual he declined.  Londo was the one person he did not want to be there, but he had insisted, as was his right.   He expected this meeting to be a disaster because Londo was about to discover something that had been hidden from his people since the arrival of the Federation ships. 

But it was already too late.  The Klingons had already shown to the universe-this universe-that cloaking technology was possible.  And by inference, if their weapons capabilities were as formidable as the Federation's, then Londo's people would have a right to know their intentions.  Delenn and the Minbari Federation needed to know.  The non-aligned Worlds were interested also, especially since they were now shooting at each other.  Only the Vorlons seemed uninterested, but the way things were going, he wouldn't bet on that either.  Then there was EarthGov-

Security officer Zack Allen, Garibaldi's right hand man, knew trouble was coming his way the instant the Centauri shuttle settled in Bay twenty-three.   First there was that weird little creep Lord Refa coming to visit Londo no doubt and that was bad enough.  But then the other pain-in-Sheridan's-butt, Mr. Morden complete with that ever present, irritating smile had arrived on of the same shuttle, apparently a guest of the Centauri.  The man reeked of deceit but there was something else about him even more disturbing.  When the man walked by most other people simply moved out of his way.  It was like he had an aura or something around him that people felt uncomfortable with.  But one thing was true, Sheridan hated the slime ball, had locked him up without charging him for several hours almost causing Michael to quit in protest.  During the time he was locked up, he simply sat on a stool, smiling like a nut.  It was the creepiest thing he had seen in a long time, which was saying a lot working on _Babylon Five_.

Once Morden was released he should have gotten a clue.  Any normal person would have left and never returned to this section of space.  But, not him.  He had returned several times, never overtly causing trouble, but Zack knew better.  Nothing was straight in this place.  As he stepped towards Zack he continued smiling.  "Good day Mr. Morden," he said as pleasantly as possible.  "How long are you staying here and is this visit business or pleasure?"

"I won't be here long, Mr. Allen, " he answered just as nicely.  "And this is business and pleasure."

"Well, don't enjoy yourself too much," responded Zack.   He couldn't quite keep the coldness out of his voice.

"No promises," came the retort.  "But," he added, "If there is anything I can do for you just let me know."   Then he smiled even more, sending a chill down Zack's spine. 

As he continued towards the Zoccalo, another security guard stood next to Zack.  "I see he's back."

"Yeah and Sheridan's not gonna be happy about it either."   He taped his communicator.  "Zack to C'&'C."

"This is Ivanova, go."

"I need to talk to the Captain-"   

"You can't.  He's in a closed meeting, as you know.  Tell me."

Three minutes later.  "Oh, great, when it rains it pours."  Morden was a problem but another just as was waiting outside _B5_ trying to get in and she couldn't quite decide to blow it up or let it in.  She decided to let it wait-

-For a few hours.

Londo was restless.  Things had not been going well for him lately.   His government was becoming more and more aggressive, even suggesting that the Earth Government might be next on their list due to their stance on the Federation ships.   The technology that they possessed seemed to be too much of a temptation for his people to ignore for much longer.  Sources had told him that certain members of the senate feared what type of power EarthGov would represent if they acquired it.   Some were suggesting that a balance of power should be maintained or even a pre-empted strike to acquire these ships for themselves might be in the best interest of the Centauri people.  

He had vigorously argued against any such action, but with the sudden presence of this new, monstrous ship, he felt that he had just lost the battle.  Now he would fight to acquire this technology peacefully before his people did something everyone might regret.  Yes, he decided, remembering the Klingon vessel's appearance from seemingly nowhere.  Monstrous was exactly the word for the thing floating outside next to _Babylon Five_.  The Centauri ships were designed along the lines of a predatory bird in flight.  So was that smallish ship out there, but exactly what type of bird, he hoped he would never see.  What type of creature looked like that?   Again, he didn't want to know.

He breathed a sigh of relief as Ambassador Guinan entered looking as serene as always.  No, he corrected, she was not serene.  She had a touch of stress about her, which was most unusual.   He would inquire about her as soon as he was able.  Meanwhile he was uncomfortable being so close to Delenn and Captain Sheridan these days.  His relationships with them had soured considerable, especially after the Narn conflict.  They used to be his friends and now they were not.  They knew he had been touched with darkness and now even Mr. Garibaldi was distant, barely acknowledging his existence.  What he planned to do at this meeting would only distance the people he dared called friends even more.  But right now they were late.  Their shuttle hadn't even left their bay yet.

"They are late," he said stating the obvious.  "Being fashionably late is not the best thing to do when one is asking for asylum, yes?"

"They'll be here in a second Ambassador," the Captain of _Babylon Five_ said and again, Londo could sense the coldness.

Londo had prepared a retort and had just begun to speak when his voice failed him.  His eyes must have failed him too, he thought, as a reddish hue materialized in front of him taking the form of five Humanoid shapes.  A couple of seconds later there were living beings in front of him.  He quickly closed his mouth and took a couple of breaths while his mind processed what his eyes had just seen.  For a moment, the vestige in front of him filled him with terror.  Even insane Narns did not exude a presence of pure menace as these beings had.  The creatures in front of him were Humanoid with large ridges on their foreheads and wild looking hair, yellowed and sharp looking teeth.  Their eyes were predatory to the extreme, probably exaggerated because they were trying to look everywhere at once.  But they did have on what seemed like diplomatic clothing on, purplish red.  Red, of course, he thought: the color of blood, Human blood.  Somehow it was to be expected.

Unconsciously, he took a step back even as Delenn had, she herself looking extremely pale, her eyes changing to steel a moment later.  Sheridan's face had drained itself of blood.  Even the security personnel looked worried.  The Federation personnel had tensed slightly but otherwise they did nothing.   

So these were the enemies of the Federation.  

Yes, he could see that.

Sheridan noticed how Delenn had moved back and suppressed a grimace.  'One never judge a book by its cover,' he repeated to himself.  Londo's identical response however made him smile-be careful what you get yourself into Londo!-and that smile remained with him as he went to shake hands with these new people. 

"I am Captain John Sheridan, Commander of _Babylon Five_."  Taking a clue from something Guinan had mentioned a bit earlier in preparation for this meeting, he said, "I am glad that we had not needed to destroy you before we could discuss your request for asylum."

The Klingon Captain shook his hand vigorously.  "Humans need to talk endlessly.  We understand this."  The warrior was trying to be civil.  

Behind him he felt Picard flinch as the awkward shaking took place.   To his side he noticed that Garibaldi's eyes were flickering almost as much as the Klingons trying to make nice.  But they were distracted also.  Worf's presence had set them off balance especially since he didn't seem the prisoner they assumed him to be.  

"Our ship is damaged," the Klingon started, his rough language translated immediately into English by his own translator.  "We are lost in this place," he said, pointing past the walls into the universe in general.  "There were many who would have rather died fighting our Human enemy rather than to submit to this-humiliation."  He lifted his head slightly.  "Now, surrounded by my enemies, I am not sure they are wrong."   

The warrior Captain was losing his composure as the reality of these events hit him.  To him everything was spiraling out of control.

"But you chose not to," Worf answered pulling Koral's attention back to focus on him.  "You understood that the fight is more honorable than giving into the final honor.  You chose to survive because that which does not kill us makes us stronger.  You yet live because you want to know the truth."

"The truth is," the Klingon, replied, "there is no honor in mindless killing."

"That much is true Koral," said Sheridan.  "We are not your enemies here, despite appearances.  You came to us, as have many, many others.  I will not let the Federation, or anyone else attack you if you abide by the rules of this station."  But he had to say something else quickly.  "Even if you leave, there are those who know of your existence and they will hunt you down, no matter how long it takes."

Delenn moved towards the young Klingon and now he back away slightly before he caught himself.   "Captain Sheridan is right," she said with intensity.  "There are those who would destroy you for what you have.  And if you choose to end your own lives the final result would be the same.  Your war is over for now and it has no place in this universe.  Do not fight without cause."

"There is much you do not know, Captain Koral," Worf growled.  "Listen and learn before you decide."

"Our Starfleet vessels will not fire on you," Picard said.  "Unless you give us cause.  Our purpose here is to find a way home."

What surprised Sheridan was that Picard had spoken up.  He could see the effort it took to suppress his rage and hatred, the result of two decades of war.  But also he noticed something else.  Picard sucked it up and chose to make the effort to extend the hand of peace.  It wasn't because he felt compassion for the Klingons, but it was being done for the practicality of it all. 

"Yes," the Klingon responded smiling viciously.  "So that we can continue what we started."

"No," he barked.  "The Federation and Klingon Empires have been manipulated enough."

All of the Klingon's attentions snapped towards Picard.  "Human, what are you implying, that we fight for reasons other than our own?"  At that moment, something his father had said to him many years ago passed through his mind. _ What liars these Humans were,_ were his exact words.  He had never forgotten those words of wisdom.  

That is when Sheridan spoke up.  "As we said earlier, there is much about your war that you do not know."

"And how do you know this?" 

Sheridan saw that although the Klingon didn't believe him he was curious nonetheless about what might be revealed.

"Because I told them," the Federation Ambassador said.  Guinan smiled and he watched as the Klingon tried but failed to dismiss her as nothing.  Sheridan once again observed that she exuded such authority that no one could dismiss her lightly.  

The Klingon froze contemplating everything he had heard for a moment, and then shook his head.  "I have always heard that Humans were the greatest liars in the galaxy," he said, laughing at his own joke.  "I will hear what you have to say and see if the rumor is true."  He sat down and the tension in the room relaxed.  

"It is customary that we eat as we tell one another lies," he continued.   "I still have some fresh gagh to share as we find out if this rumor is true."   

Sheridan's face drained as he looked at Picard for an explanation.  The man looked as though he wanted to commit suicide rather than eat whatever gagh was.   That was not encouraging.

"Well in that case," Guinan said not missing a beat.   

"In honor of gagh we will provide peanut butter and jelly."

The Klingons looked confused while the Humans almost gagged to keep from laughing.  

Delenn looked terrified-she had tried some earlier.  "What is this peanut butter and jellay?"

Sheridan watched Guinan smile. It was almost predatory.  "Call it a test of bravery."

_We are seriously doomed_ Sheridan thought even as his smile widened.  

"I hate to break up this wonderful gathering of old friends," Londo said loudly perturbed that everyone had forgotten that he was even there.  "But my people and I are not in agreement with this little love fest going on in this room."  He sighed as the room tensed once more.  He didn't have a choice.   If something wasn't done quickly then he would be replaced and that fool Refa would bring his associates in.  He had to blunt that action somehow.  "My government have legitimate concerns over this," he waved his hands encompassing both Starfleet Captains and the Klingons," ever-increasing number of people seemingly appearing into our mists.   We already know how much grief these Starfleet ships have caused the Earth Government in the last three weeks and now their enemies have decided to come to _Babylon Five_.   How many others will happen to just appear, eh?   Perhaps a whole fleet of those ships will come by for a visit next?  What then?"  

"My Government will not accept this request for asylum, not with the stakes as high as they are," Londo continued.  "It simply comes down to a matter of trust.  What do you have for us, Klingon?  Will you show us your magical technology and prove to us that we have nothing to fear, yes?"

"No," Sheridan said before anyone else could object.  "They are entitled to their own secrets.  If they choose to disclose any technological information then they will do so at their own discretion.  I will not have them blackmailed into this."

Londo had expected this reaction and secretly he approved, however the politician in him would never give up so easily.  "What you wish has nothing to do with the desires of my government.  When you and your people finally finish this little disagreement you're having, what then?  The technology you are gathering even now may change the balance of power of this part of the galaxy.  Remember what started the Earth-Minbari war; one ship making a mistake and a planet almost burned.  But now you'll have energy weapons and shielding that no one will be able to match and eventually something else will happen, maybe with my people or maybe the Minbari.  The outcome will be different won't it, yes?  This possibility my people will not accept.  We will demand equal access to any technology you may receive now or in the future, or we will take it."

"Is that a threat, Ambassador?" both Picard and Koral said simultaneously, which surprised both.  Subconsciously, each had expected to not agree on anything.

"Just a statement of fact.  I expect your answer soon.  Enjoy your stay, gentlemen."  Then he stalked out the room. 

The Klingon contingent was close to boiling.  Picard and Garrett were just as angry.  Sheridan was angry also and disappointed as well.  He had hoped that Londo would keep clam in this situation but he hadn't.  In fact, he had aggravated the situation, something that Sheridan had to now correct.  "Captain," he said to Koral.  "We will not let anyone interfere with you or your ship as long as you are in _Babylon Five_ space."

"As will we," Garrett said.  Behind her Picard silently agreed.    

Delenn pulled Sheridan over out of earshot of the rest.   "I don't think he was as belligerent, as we first thought," she said.  "I think he trying to warn us."

Sheridan had to think about that.  "You might be right," he concluded.  He had to represent his government's interests.  But he had also expressed more about those interests than he should have.    Maybe it _was_ a warning.   But it would wait.

"Everyone, shall we adjourn to dinner?"

In Command and Control, Zack's announcement concerning the presence of Mr. Morden literally on the heels of the appearance of the Klingon warship made Susan want to tear her hair out.  "Why now?" she yelled.  In her mind however she knew exactly why he was here and her orders were clear.  Leave the man alone for now.  Don't tip their hand with the knowledge they possessed on him and his 'associates'.   Unfortunately Sheridan was in a closed session not to be disturbed unless _B5_ was under attack because the meeting he was in was attempting to avoid just that possibility. 

A half hour later Sheridan was playing with his blue-colored gagh, which kept slithering off of his plate.  Living worms that tried to eat you as you ate them was not his usual choice of meals.  He hated any food that snapped at his fork when it came close.  "Dear God in Heaven", he whispered to himself.  "I knew I should have let Susan handle these negotiations."

Next to him, Delenn looked as though she was ready to die.  She didn't have gagh on her plate but some type of piping hot skull stew.  She had tried to eat it.  She had failed.  She tried again, twice more while the Klingons laughed that their discomfort.  They weren't hostile in their jesting, just amused.  

"Humans have never understood the concept of good food," he heard one of the females with the large muscles say.  But she wasn't really looking at Delenn and Sheridan but at Guinan, Garrett and Picard.  Picard tolerated gagh as though it was a matter of honor while Garrett kept stabbing her plate trying to kill hers.  But Guinan-

Guinan had finished her second plate and was now hitting something called blood wine, obviously enjoying it and plainly winning the approval and appreciation of the Klingons.  "That was good," she yelled imitating the Klingons gruff manners.  "Now, my turn."  

Everyone turned to face her, the Klingons, the Starfleet Captains, Security (who incidentally were overjoyed that they weren't required to share in the festivities, including Sisko who insisted that eating now would be a breech of protocol), everyone, as she pulled out two small jars and spread each of its contents on some bread slices.   The Klingons became apprehensive and nearly backed away.  

Sheridan wanted to laugh as he realized what it was, but he didn't dare.  Picard Sisko and Garrett also managed not to snicker too much.  Delenn was terrified that she too might be offered one, but-thank Valen!-horror passed her by.

"I thought Klingons were brave," she taunted.  "It's not even that much, just a little.  Remember what does not kill you makes you stronger," she continued as she held up the first small jar.  "This is an Earth food, made from roasted seeds from a native plant.  It contains salt, sugar and processed with a partial hydrogenated vegetable oil.  The ingredients are mixed together and turned into a smooth paste, which makes it easy for spreading.  This second jar contains the cooked, crushed remains of a fruit that when properly prepared turns into a gel, again for easy spreading."  Graciously she handed the sandwiches over to each Klingon.

"But," the Klingon Captain complained.  "It looks like-"

"I know what it looks like," she said cutting him off.  "Try it.  Or will it be said that Klingons weren't warriors brave enough to try peanut butter when the Humans ate gagh?"  

Gagh was more than simply a food.  It represented a test of strength and valor; to eat before being eating; to conquer and survive on the nourishment.  The taste wasn't as bad as it could have been but it was so alien that most people in their home galaxy avoided the contest.  After all, usually one's food didn't hiss and clamp onto one's tongue in an attempt to keep from being swallowed. 

Koral looked at the horrid stuff once again.  Food was supposed to be colorful and bright, not soft and brown he thought.  His honor compelled him to taste it.  Timidly he did taste it.  It was softer than he expected and the way it oozed around his teeth and gums made him nauseous.  Each chew caused it to stick onto the roof of his mouth as though it felt dishonored being eaten by a Klingon.  He tried to swallow a portion.  It clumped up.  He tried to remove some of it with his tongue and it refused to leave.  He discovered that he was in the mists of the greatest battle of his life and his companions looked on in awe.

"Your face…" one of his fellow warriors murmured.  

Idly, he wondered what his face _did_ look like.  An eternity later he swallowed.   It was a great victory.

"Would you like a second bite?" Guinan asked him.

Growling he snatched the sandwich and stuffed the entire portion into his mouth.   He stood up, faced Guinan, narrowed his eyes and chewed.

Behind him Sheridan heard Delenn whispering to herself.  He didn't catch all of it but it sounded like she promised something about never eating Human food again.

It looked as though the Klingons were thinking the exact same thing…

"Now, let's drink.   Prune juice for everyone," Guinan announced.


	11. Chapter 10

******Chapter Ten**

**_                "Nothing but Shadows on My Mind"_**

Two hours later, Captain's Picard and Garrett in a small café on _Babylon Five _were trying their best to relax in one another's company.  By mutual consent this conversation would, indeed could not, be held on either ship.  It would be just the two of them.  Even as they sat drinking their tea and coffee-or what passed for tea and coffee here on this station- the two of them were constantly amazed by the number of different, non-Humanoid species present on _B5_.  This universe had far more diversity than theirs, possibly because of far less Humanoid seeding that seemed to have occurred in far more abundance in their universe.  Their conversations drifted from official business to the surprises seen on _Babylon Five_.  Those pleasantries lasted all of ten minutes before the argument began. 

"The Klingons are not a threat here," Captain Garrett had started.  "Dangerous, yes.  A threat?  No.  At least not now."

"This entire situation is unacceptable," Picard hissed.  "That is a Klingon heavy cruiser out there, Captain, blood enemy to the Federation.  No matter what Guinan says, our troubles have followed us here to this universe.  How many more have followed us?  Have you thought of the ramifications?  Ambassador Mollari is correct in his assessment.  For all they know there may have a fleet of warships preparing to invade this sector of space."

"But that's not true and you know it," Garrett snapped back.  "The rift was shrinking even before we entered.  The Klingons must have entered just before the aperture closed and you know what happened to our ships.  They must have been caught in the temporal flux because as you can see, theirs was a far worse trip than ours.   But they made it and they're here.  It's our mess and we have to clean it up so, what do you suggest we do about it?"

Picard looked at her as though this woman had lost her mind.  "The Klingons are a warrior race," he told her as though she were a little child, all the while watching her bristle at the implied insult.  "How long do you think it will take before the unreality of this situation takes hold and they start shooting at anything they perceive as a threat?"

"That won't happen," she responded.  Picard could see the pure determination in her every feature.  "I won't let it happen."

Picard placed his glass down and looked at her as seeing her for the first time.  "Rachel, you feel responsible for the war," he said.  He surprised himself as his voice involuntarily softened.

Yes I do, Jean Luc," she snapped. "My ship should have gone back alone and faced the consequences.  None of this would have happened."  Her face was flushed, betraying the hurt and guilt like a beacon.

Picard glanced at his glass examining its contents before answering.  "It appears that we cannot turn back the clock, as of yet.  What is done is done."  So far all of their experimentation searching from a way home had been fantastic failures.  They were still stuck here with no possibility of getting home.  "Our universe will survive whether we return or not."

Now it was Garrett's turn to look at him, giving him an equally analytical stare.  "Don't sound so sanctimonious, Captain.   I'm not worried about our universe.  It can take care of itself.   I'm concerned about our crews.  Yes, I feel the guilt.  But then, so do you," she said catching the surprise and then anger in his eyes.  "You know the truth and yet you still allow yourself to succumb to your hatred of the Klingons.  You know that we'll be stronger with them than without.  Sooner or later, they're going to come for us, Jean Luc," she said point towards Earth and its Government forces.  "We represent a major threat.  But we also represent a technological boon of unprecedented proportions to everybody else as well.  Pretty soon their greed will overcome their fear and they will come for us in force.  Ambassador Mollari as much as said so and in this case, he was quite correct.  EarthGov will try their best to destroy us before our technology passes into someone else's hands."  She looked him in his eyes.  "If we plan to star here then we need them."

Picard found himself agreeing to her logic, however distasteful.  _Babylon Five_ would not be able to protect them forever.  The Klingons would definitely be helpful.  However there was something else going on, something at the periphery that made his skin crawl.  Guinan had mentioned something about the shadows of this universe being some type of danger.  He did not understand what it meant but the way she had said it remained with him.  She never gave idle threats.  No, the true threat wasn't EarthGov, but something far more sinister.  "You may be correct," he said after a few minutes of thought.  "But how do we convince the Klingons?"

Inwardly, Rachel relaxed.  They both were over the hurdle.  "Most of their crew are little more than kids.  Hot-headed yes, but frightened, lost kids.  And that is our main concern.  We need a strong hand to lead them since most of their senior officers didn't survive the journey."

"Do not fall into that trap of them being little kids.  Much of our crew fit into that same category, for example Mister Crusher.   But I do understand your point," he acknowledged. 

From what the Federation officers had gleaned from the inebriated Klingons, two of their three battle cruisers and the surviving _Bird-of-prey_ that originally attacked the two Federation vessels, had entered the rift less than two seconds before it closed.  Lieutenant Commander LaForge and lieutenant Gomez along with Lieutenant Commander Data theorized that the same thing that happened to us happened to them except far worse.  The last ship to enter blew up with all hands while the _Bird-of-prey_ and the first cruiser survived the journey."

"But the rift seemed to be designed for passage of one ship only.  Both of us barely made it through intact."

"Correct," Picard confirmed.  "When the Klingons entered, the molecular re-structuring was too much and the smaller vessel lost antimatter containment upon entry here.  The cruiser also lost antimatter containment but managed to jettison the warp coil.  But that wasn't the worst of it.  You remember that we were all knocked out by the transit...everyone except the Klingons."

"Worf and B'Elanna."  Realization dawned on her.  She could not imagine what might have happened onboard those ships.

"Yes.  Evidently the same thing happened to the other Klingons onboard their ships.  Most of the damage to their vessels was made by the Klingons themselves.  More than a third of the crew went insane.  More than a third died during the temporal transit."

Rachel shook her head in dismay.

"In their eagerness to get at us, they entered less than two seconds after we did but they arrived almost a three weeks later, half-insane survivors on a crippled ship." 

A half-formed thought erupted before she could stop it.  "Do you think that the rift was rigged?"

"In what way?"

"My _Enterprise_ was pulled into the future.  Maybe whoever directed my ship to your coordinates, set it so that my ship could return to correct the time line.  When we both entered we disrupted the flow and the Klingon photon torpedoes aggravated the situation and created the micro-fractures which pulled us here."       

"So you're saying that the micro-fractures may have been a form of protection, a defense to make sure that only one ship, yours, could return to correct the time line," he finished.  "More than one ship or a vessel with a different configuration, would activate those fractures sending them both to somewhere else.  But because of the addition of uncontrolled energy from the photon torpedoes, we were sent much further than we should have been on an unpredictable vector.  And then before the rift closed the Klingons followed-"

She nodded her head in agreement.  "The Klingons followed..." 

"We need to inform Sheridan of this to alleviate any fears he might have of invasion by our universe," Picard said, sipping his tea and watching some kind of large intelligent, mantis-like insect walk passed accompanied by two Humanoids asking lost of questions.

"What about Guinan's warning about so-called shadows?"

"I will mention it to him," Picard answered.

"I'm so glad we had this conversation.  It went much better than I expected."

Picard smiled warmly.  "We can't fight all the time, Rachel."  He was just as glad as she was.  He really did hate fighting with her.  She was just so, so willful.  But she was a Captain of an Enterprise after all.   "It was believed by Starfleet that we would have to sue for peace with the Klingons within the year.   I told you we were losing.  But in light of what we have seen it appears that the Klingons were in the much the same situation we were in.  The mentality of the warrior mind-we had the resources of hundreds of worlds while they had basically their own people and their captive protectorate to rely upon for the actual conflicts."  

"And the Romulans," she added.

"That was never proven, but yes, them also."  

Both Captains each lost in thought were silent for a long moment.  

"Good news," he said changing the subject.  The _Yeager _will be ready for her test flight tomorrow."  The now re-assembled _Saber_-class fighter had been onboard the _Enterprise-D_ being transported to Argella-Four to augment Federation Forces there.  Of course, it never made it.  It boasted a crew of one hundred two people and weapons, re-enforced shields and now updated tactical systems sufficient to take on just about anything seen so far in this universe one-on-one with the exception of maybe a Minbari ship-of-the-line.  And even then, it might be a toss-up. 

"Have you given any more thought as to who will be her Captain?"

"Well actually, yes."

Commander Ivanova, Lieutenant Commander Data, Lieutenant Troi and a very uncomfortable B'Elanna were walking thru the Zoccalo, located in blue sector, the heart and soul of the population of _Babylon Five_, admiring the sites.  There were shops, entertainment facilities, restaurants, bars, almost everything one could think of in one vast central complex.  Susan watched as Data took in everything as though he were a child.  He seemed so unusual, so Humanlike but so outside Human norms that she couldn't get a handle on him.  

There was also the telepath who preferred to be called a Betazoid, Deanna, she who looked Human and acted Human, but wasn't.  Deanna was like no telepath she ever met.   She didn't have any of the hang-ups nor desires to remain isolated as Earth's telepath had.  She was an open book for the most part and as relaxed with herself as any person she had ever seen.  Try as she might, Susan couldn't quite place her with the others she had known.   In no way did Talia Winters, a Terran telepath, have the relaxation and control as these Betazoids apparently had.  From what little she had understood, their senses worked differently.  For them touch was not a requirement and even deep scans caused no pain.  Deanna was not a full telepath, but she could read minds if she concentrated enough, however most of them couldn't rip out stored information.  Try as she might she couldn't dislike the woman even though she was still weary of her.  Lyta Alexander, another Human telepath and renegade whose hatred of Psi-Corps almost rivaled Susan's, loved talking to her.  Susan had never seen her as comfortable as when she talked to the Betazoids and the Vulcans, for that matter.   

The third member of their little party was clearly the most confused of the group.  B'Elanna had been released from her limited confinement and was offered the choice by Captain Garrett to remain with them or return to the Klingon ship.  She had frozen, unsure what to do.  During her sessions with Deanna over the last few weeks, it was revealed to her that her whole life had been torn apart and rearranged.  Her mixed heritage had only served to tear her apart emotionally.  It was clear that she hated both halves of her people but now she had been given a new lease on life and the hatred had led to confusion.  But it was evident that she did trust Deanna, a woman with whom she had much in common.  Klingons had destroyed her home world, but Deanna had somehow moved on, whereas so many others had not, nor indeed could not.  That security and stability within herself had helped the young half Klingon.

Susan finished the tour and the four of them sat in an open café looking at the scenery.  From their position, the group could see almost one-half of the entire station.  The sight was breathtaking.  "This is where I come when I want to remember why I'm here and what I'm fighting for.  This station was designed as a place of peace and we've failed our objective."  Right now felt like more of a failure than usual.  It had become something more-their last, best hope for survival, because peace was sometimes another word for surrender.  She was sure that they would never go into the night peacefully.   

She had told Sheridan about Morden and both had agreed on his probable objective.  The question remained; should they tell Captains Picard and Garrett or keep the secret and let the chips fall where they may in order to save the future?  The opposite side of the coin was whether the Federation would stand with them as very powerful allies in the war to come.  The time for that decision was approaching fast.

"You have had setbacks," Deanna said in her professional voice.  "You haven't failed yet.  In fact, I see this as a great success.  True, you have enemies but you have powerful friends also.  It balances out in the end."

"Spoken like a true psychologist," Susan smirked.  "Miss Torres, what do you think?"

_I think I could get lost in this place, be myself, and no one would care what I was.  I could be free here and live my own life with no one forcing me into something they think I should be_, she thought.  What she said was: "I like the fact that people can co-exist without trying to kill each other," then quickly added, "for the most part.  I see freedom here."

"Earth Government has created a very impressive space station," Data said, "and has attempted to establish a lofty set of goals that in essence seem to represent the ultimate aims of Humanity both here and in our own universe."

"So do you like it?"

"I cannot like or dislike it, Commander.  I do not possess emotions.  However it is intriguing," Data said as he looked around taking in every movement, every nuance, everything.   

"Your people have no emotions at all?" the Commander asked.  He looked so Human that she naturally assumed that he possessed the same attributes.  A mistake, she realized.  One species looking similar to another didn't really mean a thing.

"There are only two of us," he explained.  "My brother, Lore has been endowed with emotions, but I have not."  Data's brother Lore, served on the U.S.S. _Bozeman _as Second Officer. 

"Endowed?"  Susan was perplexed by his answer.  "What do you mean endowed?"

"There are only two of us, Commander Ivanova.  My brother Lore has the circuitry and programming that enables him to access emotions.  I, however do not.  I can analyze them, but I cannot experience them."

Susan who had sworn that nothing else would stun her about these people again discovered she had lied to herself.  "You're telling me you're some kind of robot?"

"The correct term is android, Commander," Data said cocking his head slightly.

_Unbelievable_ she thought.  She had been sure that he was some kind of alien, but this!  Besides, she wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or not.  He looked so forlorn.

"Are you okay, Commander?"

"Am I okay?  I'm sitting with a mixed Human telepathic empath; an android that I couldn't even tell was an android, and a Klingon-Human woman, at a time when we thought it wasn't possible for different species to interbreed.   My whole life has been turned upside down but other than that, I'm okay."

"Are you sure, Susan?"

"I'm Russian," she whispered as though that explained everything.   "This happens to me all the time.  Speaking of which..."

She activated her comm.  "The commander gave the okay.  Bester can come in, but he's confined to the docking bay until Sheridan's okay.  I'll be there shortly."

The man was going to be as mad as a hornet.  But he should be happy she thought.  "I could have shot him," she said to no one in particular.

Commander Sisko, Worf and Captain Koral also sat in another small bar in plain sight of several nervous Klingons, trying to inconspicuously guard their Captain and failing.  Even Koral felt uncomfortable with Sisko so close to him.  There had been rumors about this Human, a ground warrior and his units, specifically trained to fight and kill Klingons in hand-to-hand combat.  It was considered a great honor to kill such warriors as he, but this situation in which he sat and drank with the enemy had disorientated him.  No matter what his leaders had said about the Humans, they were not weak.  He understood this.  Were they stupid?  In some ways yes, when it came to offering mercy to a defeated foe, but Klingon cunning verses Human cunning balanced each other.  Humans were just as vicious as any Klingon could ever be.  

But now he was sitting with one listening to the most outlandish story he had ever heard.  And what was even more surprising was that he believed it.  Despite the name _Ambassador_, the configuration and power signatures unique to every Federation vessel confirmed that this was the ancient _Enterprise-C_.  That it was pulled into the future, thereby starting a fruitless, dishonorable war enflamed him.  In site of themselves the other Klingons had moved so close, they could hear everything.  

Sisko simply sighed and invited the 'stealthy' guards over, praying that this wasn't a mistake.   For the next hour the group was in deep discussion.

"Lord Duras has claimed victory over the Federation," a young guard named Koss said.  He looked all of nineteen.  "The Federation will surrender within the year.   The war will continue until we have won."

"And what glorious victories that victory hold for us," Worf snapped.  "Our people have given everything to the war.  Our protectorate planets and been bombed, its people killed.  Klingon colonies have been destroyed.  Instead of expanding, the Empire has grown smaller and we are hated and feared throughout vast regions of space while the House of Duras has grown rich on the backs of our people.  And when the war is over, that House will sit back in comfort and laugh of the good old days, while our people struggle and oversee a Federation seething for revenge.  Soon there would be another glorious war and the House of Duras will again grow fat off the labors of our people."

"Yes, we are feared, as it should be," Koss snapped back.  "We will grow again to become the power in our-that universe.  You speak like a traitor, Worf.  Your exposure to the Humans has corrupted you."

Worf's eyes narrowed into slits.  "Fool, do you not understand?  We did not start this war.  Someone else maneuvered us into it and we fell willingly into its trap.  When this war is over the only winners will be the Romulans and the Cardassians, and whoever began the war.  Our two powers will be weakened, useless for generations, prey for any predator.   Can you not see this?"

"We have been played with like children!"  Koral screamed, stunning the surrounding patrons.  He fully understood the implications now.  Why hadn't the Empire seen this sooner?  He understood the answer.  The Duras clan had to be part of it all.  "Honorless death of our families, our best and brightest."  Once more, he stared at Worf and Commander Sisko.  "Our people must know the truth!"

Koss looked at his Captain.  "I do not understand."

"We fight because it is in our blood," Koral responded.  "But we fight for our own reasons, not at the biding of someone else's desires.  Only carrion are the true winners in a war like this."

Sisko watched the exchange in silence.  It was obvious that this was a turning point for them.  Either they would now go off on their own seeking a way back or maybe, just maybe they could be persuaded to make some sort of alliance with their Federation antagonists, the details to be determined later.  "Koral, why did you choose _Babylon Five_?"

There it was, the question Sisko could see that he was dreading.  Koral had thought of a thousand answers that would appease everyone, but none of them were good enough and he had discounted them all.  _The truth before dishonor_ he surmised.  

"There is no one in this universe that was familiar to us.  Even the Humans were different.  We were not at war with them.  That afforded an opportunity.  Sensors picked up the battle between the _Enterprise-C_ and the Human warships.  We could not understand why Humans would fight Humans.  The battle was glorious and we followed, scanned communications and understood.  _Babylon Five_ offered a chance of survival and maybe a way home."

"Use the name _Ambassador_," he corrected.  "There are those Humans here in this universe that hate everything alien.  They happen to be the ones in power.  Your ship is damaged and the Human government of Earth will stop at nothing to get to you and your technology.  On this station there is freedom and honor.  They will keep their promises to the death if necessary and we will do the same.  What do you chose?"

"We will do nothing to hurt _Babylon Five_.  Beyond that I do not know what we will do.  But for now there will be peace between us."

"Then there will be peace," Sisko echoed.

"There will be peace and the discovery of the truth," Worf said.  Then he added, "for the time being."

Koss clearly didn't agree with the issues of peace.  "Humans know nothing of peace.  They are liars," he snarled.  "Now you wish us to trust them?"  He rose from his seat, looking at Sisko as though he would pounce on him.  

Benjamin's entire demeanor changed as his body subtly shifted into combat mode.  The other Klingons backed away slightly.  This was Koss' challenge and it was a foolish one, although he didn't know it yet.  His crewmates would not help him.

"Koss," Sisko growled, his voice rising.  "Sit down!"  

Koss froze for a moment sensing the shift in mood around him.  He could not back down because pride would not let him.  He had been told all his life that Klingons could outfight any Human, but right now, he could not quite believe it, not with this man sitting in front of him.  So he stood there, not backing down, but not moving any close either.

"Yes, young one, sit down," said a voice from behind.  

The instant Koss realize that the voice behind him belonged to an alien, he struck out, relieved that he would now be able to focus his rage in another direction without losing his honor.  His hand was stopped by something incredibly strong, and held it effortlessly.  Stunned, he turned to face a lizard-like Humanoid with piercing red eyes.  The creature's strength surprised and disoriented him and he stumbled.

"Are you so ready to die?" the Narn asked him.  

G'Kar had moved in so easily that few had noticed him until he was almost behind the Klingon called Koss.  Ancient wars can so easily restart themselves he thought.  And those who are young usually had the least understanding of how easily those conflicts could destroy multiple roads to peace. The young Klingon was outclassed and he knew even as he had stood up.  But pride wouldn't let him back down.  

How so much like Koss he had been.  Had it really been that long ago?  He decided to deflect the anger to him, and then dissipate it.  He grabbed the Klingons arm and held it.  "Bloodshed will come sooner that you think.  Have patience young one and be ready to fight for those who will need you."

"Who are you?" Koss snapped, intimidate by the Narn's strength.  

"I am First Citizen G'Kar of the Narn regime," he answered with some pride.

"Your empire was destroyed by another," said Koss.  His voice dripped with humor and sarcasm that was clearly evident with every word he spoke. "You were weak and you were defeated."

The Narn trembled.  "Someone wins and someone must lose," he answered after regaining control.   "We lost.  Now we have nothing, but as long as we are alive we are never defeated.  We will rise again and we will prevail.  But, what of you?  Will there be enough of you left to rise again?"  He moved in closer.  "You will fight for your pride and you will die separated, but with the knowledge that could have worked with your once enemies.  They will come for you and your pride will blind you to the true enemy."

Koral spoke now, pushing Koss away from G'Kar who did not protest the humiliating action   "And who is our enemy?"

"You should ask rather, who your friends are," G'Kar countered.  "Your enemies will make themselves known to you soon enough."

In her quarters onboard _Babylon Five_, Guinan paced back and forth like a caged lion.   Everything had gone so well with the Klingons that even she was surprised about the outcome.   Between Picard Sheridan and Garrett the possibility of peace between old enemies looked encouraging.  The veiled threat by Londo had left her somewhat suspicious about his true motives but he was correct.  The Centauri were even more aggressive than Earth Force, having spread their aggression towards their neighbors.  Presently EarthGov was simply aggressive against its own people. She made a mental note to look into the Centauri situation in the very immediate future.  

But for some reason that she could not yet understand, she felt her 'otherness' warning her of some perceived threat that she had not yet identified.  The last time she had felt something this intense, the two ships had entered this universe.  This gift she referred to as 'her otherness', was something that she had come to rely on heavily throughout the centuries.  It had been thrust upon her though no actions of her own, but instead of offering her freedom and power to do what mortals only dreamed of, she understood it for the curse it was.  The power corrupted and destroyed those not matured enough to use it wisely.  Even the Q and others of their kind a whole, caused more harm than good.  They were fully aware of this little problem, which is why they constructed such rigorous rules and regulations to keep everyone in line.  

She was not born to the power, and it almost destroyed her.  A century ago, due to a brush with an energy barrier, a radiation-mutated Gary Mitchell had not been as fortunate.   His ever-expanding psychic and psionic powers corrupted him totally, causing him to try to kill his best friend and commanding officer, James T. Kirk, not to mention desiring travel to a planet full of colonists, where he would become a God no less.   It was not the barrier itself that had caused her change but the end results had been the same.   

Absolute insanity.  

But unlike poor Gary, she was not Human and had enough wisdom to reject the insanity given to her.  Still, it took every bit of power she possessed to resist and subject that which grew within her, finally using that unimaginable power to will herself to normalcy and it worked-up to a point.  Then, the Q started harassing her, especially Q, trying to break her spirit, make her use her power, to prove to everyone that a mere mortal could never control the raging psionics.  He failed, causing his rage to be felt all through the sector and they became enemies, or rather adversaries.  Their dealings with one another were legendary, for those who knew of the arguments, throughout the galaxy.  But she had never been tempted enough to use them, even when facing death.  She had kept her promise to herself but that had not stopped it from asserting itself as it did now.  Survival instincts were one of the most persistent forces in existence.

Her door chime rang.  

Instead of her ordering the door opened she walked up to the door and manually opened it.  A man in his thirties sporting dark hair stood there with a smile that never touched his eyes.    

"Hello, Ambassador Guinan?  My name is Morden," he announced.  "I represent a group of associates that are every interested in forming a working relationship with you and your Federation representatives.  It would be very lucrative, very beneficial for all concerned," he finished flashing his brightest smile.  "May I come in?"

"No, I don't think so, Mr. Morden.   Whatever you want to say can be said from right here," she answered in a half smile.   

The man looked somewhat perplexed by her answer.  "Is there anything wrong?" he asked graciously.  "Is this an inconvenient time?  I can come back later."

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Morden," she said just as graciously as he had a moment ago.  She did not like the man.  His aura was indistinct and that caused warning signals to flare up.  "As I've just said, you can say what you want to say from here."

"Well," he started, resigned to standing at the door.  "There have been certain, shall we say, misunderstandings between you and the government of Earth.  My associates and I can mediate a truce between your two respected groups and cease this unnecessary conflict."

That sounded intriguing to Guinan. It was the type of thing that someone would say was too good to be true.  "Your and your associates can do this?  I am impressed," she said.  "But I believe that there is some type of price involved? As in a tradeoff in technology?" she asked, knowing full well that technology had nothing to do with this conversation.

"To prove our sincerity and concern about this terrible conflict, we will gladly do it for free," he said, dangling the hook.  "We would only ask a small favor from you every now and then."

 "No."

 "No?"  He obviously did not like what he had just heard.  "No?" he repeated.  "As in-?"

"No," she finished with a touch of indifference evident in her voice.  "We'll settle our own differences, Mr. Morden."  Guinan watched as his whole demeanor changed from a businessman to someone was much more threatening.  Much more.

"This is an opportunity that you shouldn't dismiss of hand, Ambassador.  My associates can do quite a bit for you.  Possibly even get you and you people home."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Morden," Guinan said rather loudly.  "You don't seem, I don't know, trustworthy for some reason.  Please tell you associates that we are not interested.  Now excuse me.  I have a headache.  Goodbye."

The door abruptly closed.  She heard him yell through the door after her.    "Ambassador, is there anything that you personally want?"

"Goodbye, Mr. Morden," she yelled back, ignoring his last question.  

Guinan was unnerved by this experience.  At least now she understood why she was so apprehensive.  The man literally reeked of some ancient, powerful darkness.  And those things with him!  Jet black in color, very spider-like with raised legs and multiple grasping appendences, it had a large flattened head and what she assumed were fourteen eyes set in two roles, three above and four below that shined with dark, dark intelligence.  They would be invisible to most of the population but she had seen them, of course.   And there was more to them than that.  They were partially phased, a natural defensive mechanism most likely.  Somehow those things could alter their molecular density-to a point-evidenced by their ability to move soundlessly down hallways and passed so many without being detected.  

The creature had gotten passed her and searched her room while she was engaged in conversation with Morden.  It didn't find anything of interest and of course, it had not known that she had observed its every move as it cast its malevolent shadow across her stuff.  Then it had stood behind her, examining her, as if almost daring for Guinan to detect it.

"So that was a Shadow," she mused darkly.   She now had a name for her dream.  Quickly, she checked her quarters and then only when she was completely satisfied did she make the call.  She touched her comm badge. "Guinan to Captain Picard."  

 "Picard here."

"Are you still on the station?"

"Captain Garret and I are at a restaurant in the Zoccalo.  Is there a problem?"

"You may be receiving a visitor in the immediate future," answered confirming his fears.  "Consider this a warning.  This Mr. Morden is not what he seems.   Remember what I told you when we first came here?" she asked meaning when they had first entered this universe.  

"Yes, I remember, " he responded. 

"Well, they've decided to make their presence known," she said.  "Don't let them know that we know of their existence.  Don't even hint.  And one more thing."

"Yes, Ambassador?"    

"Don't agree to anything."

The Psi-Corps shuttle, which had been waiting for clearance for the last three hours outside _Babylon Five_, was finally allowed into the docking bay.  One very irate Psi-cop now and his partner had to endure the indignity of waiting in an isolated area until the little puppet god Sheridan decided he could leave.  At least it was positive side to this, Bester mused.  They could have blown his shuttle up. _ B5 _and EarthGov were not exactly on the best of terms these days, especially with those two warships out there.  They were fascinating he had to admit.  The design was very unusual even though they seemed a little small to have done the damage they had.  Being a level twelve telepath, he had tried to scan the ship, but that served only to give him a headache.  First, because it was too far from the shuttle and next there were so many telepathic emanations on so many alien wavelengths, that he couldn't separate one from another clearly.  It was quite interesting.

The door opened finally, and four figures walked in.  The first one he recognized, but the others were strangers.  He resisted the urge to scan them, although he really wanted to.  However that might serve to get him kicked off the station at the least, or 'accidentally' killed at the worst.  The times were perilous now and he didn't want to take chances.   

"Well, Commander Ivanova," he said with his usual sarcastic tint.  "I expected Sheridan and he sent his underling and three strangers to meet me after what?  Four hours?  At least Mr. Garibaldi should have been here to meet me when I got off the shuttle.  I could always depend on him at least."

Susan's anger threatened to boil over but somehow she managed to control it.  "You're lucky that I didn't have your shuttle blown up as soon as it exited the gate," Susan growled.  "You shouldn't even be here.  I'm sure EarthGov would be very unhappy if they found out that you're flaunting their quarantine which they have been trying so hard to maintain."

The cop laughed heartily.  "Quarantine?  Everybody's breaking quarantine trying to get here!  This place is very popular, didn't you know that?" 

"What do you want, Bester?" Susan's patience was wearing thin.

"Okay, Commander."  No more bantering around, he needed to see these people and get out.  Psi-Corp's agenda was not EarthGov's, not completely.  "Since Sheridan chooses not to lower himself to meet me, I guess that I have to lower myself to meet with you.  
  


"Bester!"

"Alright, alright.  Susan, you're no fun at all."  He sighed.  "I came to meet with the telepaths onboard those two Federation starships, to make sure that they're being treated well."

"They're being treated wonderfully," Data said.  "They have had no complaints as far as I know."

"And you are?"

"Lieutenant Commander Data of the Federation Battleship _Enterprise-D_."  Data moved closer to Bester and continued.  "We are the people that you and EarthGov seems so interested in knowing about."

"I see," Bester said.  But he didn't.  In fact, he was slightly intimidated.  The Data person had no aura, no psychic fingerprint at all.  It was like he wasn't there.  No wonder the Commander had brought him here with her.  

This was going to be a problem.


	12. Chapter 11 and 12

**Chapter Eleven**

**_          "The Drop Becomes a Ripple"_**__

**Babylon Five:**

Bester stared at the unknown alien facing him.  _What was this creature?  _"Pleased to meet you, Commander," Bester murmured dismissively.  "But I am really here to see your telepaths, to make sure that they are not being abused by you mind blind-I mean normals."

Behind him, his partner barely covered her smirking.  Data hesitated a second.  Had he understood he had been insulted?

"And I am please to meet you.  I think."  

_The alien had completely missed the slight.  Data wouldn't be any fun at all. More importantly he might not be that easily manipulated, Bester thought.  Data could be a serious threat and he filed that titbit of information for the future._

"And who are these two lovely ladies with you?" he asked smiling.  

"Lieutenant Deanna Troi, MD, and Ensign B'Elanna Torres, currently a guest onboard our ship."

The Torres woman meant nothing to him, but the name Deanna! Truman had described her in detail, showing the woman in his mind to his fellow telepaths.  It was believed that the man's image of her had been exaggerated as the mind sometimes did.  It was also a well-known fact that the mind often enhanced what the eyes had seen, but in the particular case, he hadn't. She was as beautiful as Truman had envisioned her.  He couldn't help himself, he scanned her-and came up with nothing.  He couldn't believe it. Beside him, by the look on her face, Jackie evidently had tried as well. 

She had blocked him and her easily and simply smiled while doing it. How?

Something touched his mind and he froze, then feeling her exotic probing he immediately erected a psychic wall. She didn't fight against it but simply brush against it over and over with deceptive power.  It was like nothing he ever felt before, so alien yet so familiar.  She constantly brushed his wall, just enough so that he couldn't lower it without her rushing into his mind.  He was a level twelve telepath, and still he was on the defensive as she continued to brush against him.  The experience was completely new to him.  And it also explained why Truman had such trouble with her.

"I am a citizen from the planet Betazed," she transmitted to him as though it should have meant something to him.  "And no, we are not some offshoots of Humanity as you are assuming.  We are something else entirely."

Bester gasped as he realized that Deanna continued to brush against his mind while, communing with him.  To do both things at once required power and control that only p-twelve's could attempt.  

"Bester," she continued.  "I can feel your duplicitous nature, your self-interest, your contempt for so-called normals.  You have a serious problem."

"I don't have a problem," he beamed back, psychic defences at full.  He could feel it. There was no way he could lie to her.  Her empathic capabilities were awesome and any deviation of the truth would be detected.  He could only hope that if any of this came out it would his word against hers.  And if it came to that, he would make sure that it would not become public knowledge.  After all, dead women told no tales.

"My concern is for my people," he continued.  He was betting that her ties to her own kind would keep his secrets since he could not lie and get away with it-not with her abilities.   "I am their protector from all those who would try to destroy us.  That is the reason why I am here, to make sure that you and your people were safe.  I assumed that you were Human telepaths and as such you and your people would benefit from our help.  We cannot co-exist with normals forever.  Soon the time will come to decide our destiny.  Even now, the lines are being drawn and telepaths, all telepaths are part of me.  After all, we are like family and the Corps, our mother and father."

"I'm an empath, Mr. Bester.  I know you're lying about your concern for us.  I believe you simply want to exploit us."

"I would never consider such a thing!"  He looked so sincere that the casual observer would have never disbelieved him.  She, however, simply looked at him.

"As Commander Riker would say, 'tell me another one'."

Frustrated, he almost snarled at Ivanova, but managed to stop himself.  This time, like all other past meetings, he had been effectively quarantined even more so than if they had drugged him and Susan knew this.  And he hated that smug attitude but he would never give her the satisfaction showing his weakness.

"Well," he said out loud.  "Will you tell me a little about your history of your planet?"

"If you wish information about us, then we will expect no less from you," Data countered.  "Tell us about the Earth telepaths first."

Bester's first instinct was to ignore him, however he decided to relent.  The psychic awakening was ancient history now.

"Telepaths on Earth started to make appearances in larger numbers around three hundred years ago.  As you might expect, as with anything new, the normal population began to fear us because of our obviously superior nature.  So, in order to protect them and us, the Psi-Corps was founded with the purpose of showing the world that we both could co-exist."

He blinked his eyes a couple of times while looking at Data who stared back impassively. He noticed that the alien's blinking pattern was unusually regular.  He thought that it looked quite unnatural.

Commander Ivanova couldn't stand it any longer.  His drivel made her nauseous.

"You impose your rules on anyone who has psi-abilities whether they want it or not!"

Susan was seething and it didn't take a telepath to know that she would gladly place Bester's head on a platter.

"My mother's life wasted away because of those rules.  The suppression drugs she took-"

"Were for her own good," Bester stated quickly.  "She couldn't live a normal life if people knew what she was, and by her own choice she didn't come into the family.  We could have protected her, loved her.  She could have lived a wonderful life with her children-"

This time Susan cut him off.

"But not with her 'normal' husband. He would have disappeared like so many others. Your breeding program would not allow for his continued union with my mother."

"We don't have a breeding program," he lied.  "But we do believe that people should live with their own kind.  It makes for much better conditions all-round."

"You make me sick," Susan snarled now ignoring Bester and turning towards the Federation party.  "If they get their hands on you and your people Lieutenant, they will pull out every bit information they can and discard whatever's left."

Bester grimaced at Susan's hysterics.  This was supposed to be a simple scouting mission.  And as much as he hated it he needed Sheridan to help him find kidnapped telepaths.  But now he would have to first defend the Corps against _Babylon Five's_ head witch's accusations, if he were to salvage any of this.

"Despite what you just heard from the Commander over here, we are not like that at all.  I will admit that there are some elements-which we are addressing-that have been overzealous in the past.  But we exist for the positive enlightenment of all.  And we offer our services to your people, even they are not fully Human."

"We are not Homo Sapiens of Sol-Terra-Earth," Deanna corrected.  "We are Homo Sapiens species Betazadrian, not an offshoot variation, but a completely different species.  Our species was born to telepathy like we were born to see.  It has existed as part of us for untold eons while you are just beginning to understand what it means to be a telepath.  For you being a telepath is like a baby discovering a bouncing ball for the first time.  Your people still think of it as a power, while we considered it no more important than a part of our nature, like eyesight or hearing.  My people have forgotten more than you have yet discovered, Mr. Bester.  So how long would it take for our people to be at odds with one another because we will not subject ourselves to your petty rules?"

She moved closer to him and made eye contact.  "And another thing.  We've been at war with a ruthless enemy for over twenty years.  What techniques do you think we employ that would cause us to be as feared by you as you believe normal Humans are of yourselves?"

The more Bester looked at her the more alien she appeared.  

"It would not be wise for us to closely associates ourselves with a telepathically immature species with attitudes like yourselves."

Bester flushed violently as Susan laughed at him.  The humiliation was too much.  He simply couldn't help himself.  He lashed out violently striking Deanna's mental shields.  She reeled slightly from the brute force of the intrusion and returned the attack turning his embarrassment back upon him.  For an instant her own wall faded and she was inside...compassion...slaughter...weapons of mass destruction...a mother so powerful that no one's secrets would be safe...concern for species other than herself...a wondrous vision of the future...emotions so strong as to sear the soul...dark passions...a starship overran...phasers fire disintegrating Klingons intent on eviscerating her and her crewmembers...the overwhelming smell of death everywhere…  

All of this, he saw in a moment.  He understood and the moment changed him.  These Betazoids were no longer targets.  He would protect them as much as he could.  This Federation however was another matter entirely.  They were far, far too much of a threat.  Psi-Corps plans would shatter coming directly against them.  A face-to-face struggle was useless as long as the Betazoids and those others were there to protect them.  An instant later, he realized that the bond-link had went both ways-

Next to him Thompson had tensed, ready to follow any lead that Bester would initiate.  He knew that he could count on her but right now, he was so focused on Deanna, he could not fully concentrate on anything else. 

Her eyes, indeed her entire demeanour had recoiled with revulsion at what she had seen with her downlink.  The revelations that she had seen had disgusted the woman but not terrified her as he had now hoped it would.  The way she looked down on him, what she knew now terrified him.  No matter what he was beginning to feel about her, reflexes took over.  He did the only thing his mind could think of to salvage this terrible break in security of the entire Psi-corps. 

He attacked her both psychically and physically.  It was like a caveman using a club against a combat-ready marine-foolish-unless first strike was guaranteed.  His psychic attack slammed against her unprepared shields even as he lunged for her throat in an attempt to snap her neck before anyone could stop him.  Even if it cost his life, even if it was this woman who had affected him more than anyone he ever knew, he intended to keep his secrets safe.  His fingers reached out for a shocked Deanna's neck, who was just now beginning to react.

He had almost touched the woman when strong hands pulled him back and then upwards towards the ceiling.  Stunned by the sudden lift, he looked down at the face of the alien Data holding him effortlessly.  He immediately elbowed the alien in the face, to no avail. A second later he heard the sound of a PPG powering up.  He resisted smiling at Data. It would be over soon he thought, although this was not how he planned his day.

Thompson was pointing the weapon towards B'Elanna, who and now stepped in front of Doctor Troi and had for some reason tapped her insignia.

"Put him down, Commander, or I will kill them both."

Meanwhile Susan was about to tap her comlink, but Thompson's negative shaking stopped her.  

"You will kill us all, whether I put Mr. Bester down or not," Data said indifferently.  "It is better that I break Mr. Bester's neck right now.  Your weapon will not stop me before I can get to you.  Then you will be next."

Bester's blood chilled at the sound of Data's casualness.  He didn't have to be a telepath to understand that this being would absolutely do what he said he'd do.

"Then we're all dead," she whispered.  There was no choice here at all.

The next instant, before she could press the trigger, she felt the most terrifying feeling of her body separating from itself, fading away.  Not understanding what was happening to her, she opened her mouth to scream...  

The Shadow triad, one in front, one to Morden's side and one bringing up the rear, continued towards the Zoccalo in search of new targets of interest to ensnare.  The Federation officers were of particular interest since their ambassador seemed to adamant to resist their simple requests.  Perhaps there would be better luck there.  The Triad wanted to examine those ships and so far, the opportunities had not presented themselves yet.  Some type of unknown shielding prevented their direct entry and their security perimeter was such that phasing was impossible.  They needed to be somehow invited in, whether by shuttlecraft or accompanying one of the strangers.  It did not matter how as long as it happened.  Their alien technology needed to be examined.   

It would be understated to say that Morden was fairly angry at being so completely rebuffed by Ambassador Guinan the Shadow companion thought while walking towards their next destination.

The creature called Guinan was somehow different than others of her kind.  It could not quite define the difference, as Human physiology was not its area of expertise, but something had not been right with the she-creature.  The third of three had even stood behind her, daring her to sense it.  It became unsure whether Guinan noticed or not and that in itself was disturbing.

The Human gave no outward sign, not even a change in heart rate or life-fluid pressure, but still- 

A search in the room revealed nothing unusual and they left.  True to form, its species were psychological web spinners, planning carefully to put their plans in motion.  This war had to be planned carefully and they were almost ready, but unlike the last time they wouldn't allow arrogance to cause them to move too soon.  

Morden had failed when they needed him to succeed.  The Triad had expressed their displeasure at his incompetence father forcefully.  Although very good, the Human was overconfident in his ability to persuade his fellow Humanoids to do their biddings, Mollari being a case in point. He intended to break away and that would never be allowed.  

The names of the Triad were such that no Human or alien could pronounce them, so they simply answered to First, Second and Third which amused them to no end.  Most other species would never comprehend their language or reproduce their speech, so certain modifications had been made in Morden and a few others so that direct communication would be possible.

To all others, their vocals would sound like simple squeaks or grating noises. 

"No," Morden said as they continued down the hallway.  "I don't believe that she was warned in any way."

Flute-like Squeaks. 

"Yes, it's true.  Most people want something but not all...We will find something to bring her over to us...I don't know about the telepaths onboard."

Grating noises.

"I know they have at least one.  We may have to remove her."

-More grating noises.   

"When we speak to the Captains, yes, I will offer them a way to return to their part of the galaxy."

Something that sounded like a broken flute echoed down the hall.

"You have never heard of the Federation, not even rumours?  They're still Human and what we offer will entice them."

Squeaks followed by more fluting sounds, soft and ominous. 

"The Centauri will be notified and our associates will ensure the vessel's remains will get to the right sources."  

A questionable piccolo like sound echoed off of the walls.

"Ambassador Mollari insisted that they would not share their shield technology.  Lord Refa will quell Mollari's resistive nature with the information we have given him...Yes, I will offer the Klingons the same..."  

To the few people passing by, it seemed as though he was talking to himself and they walked by never giving him a second thought.  Those that looked closer would swear that his face was silhouetted more by shadow than by the lights that glared overhead and they shivered at Morden's darkness.

The glass shattered loudly against the back wall.  It was the third glass destroyed in the last ten minutes, but he never even noticed.  Londo Mollari was more angry-and frightened-than he had been when he was present at the destruction of the Narn home world.  Then things were spiralling out of control but now things had slammed into the very ground itself.  He had no control of any of the events he was witness to.  The very last thing he wanted to do was present an ultimatum to the Federation and Klingons, but was just what he wound up doing.

It was meant as a warning pure and simple, however he felt guilty for seemingly betraying his people.  The Federation warships were bad enough, but the other ship and its obviously mad crew seemed worse.  They were bred for battle and he feared any kind of attack would produce the worse kind of response.  Guinan had described bits of the war between the two powers and he recoiled in horror at the amount of death and hatred between the two governments.  Planet against planet was one thing.  Entire solar systems being stripped of life was another matter entirely.  The fact that the two powers even talked to one another was astounding in itself.  What if they decided to bring that power to bear on Centauri prime?

True, Centauri ships were stronger than Earth Force Warships but, could they withstand an assault by both or worse yet, all three of the strangers?  He didn't want to find out.  He had to stop it somehow before his worst nightmare came true.

The knock at his door startled him. Adira, his one true love, was not scheduled to arrive for another two days.  He wasn't expecting company right now and he certainly was not in the mood.

"Go away!"

"It is not polite to yell at your superior through the door Londo," a familiar voice said.

It was Lord Refa.  He always picked the worst of times to show his face.  What was he doing here? Londo believed that he had gotten rid of the man for a while, but no.  Like the proverbial earth penny, he kept showing up.  Reluctantly he got up and opened the door.  His entire body chafed at the process.

"Thank you for opening the door, Londo," Refa said as he brushed passed the Ambassador. 

There was nothing friendly in that greeting as they both looked at one another in mutual hatred.

"My Refa," Londo countered. "You're looking the picture of health these days."

"Thank you," he said.  He understood the veiled insult and threat all too well.  "That's one of the reasons why I have come here in the first place.  But before we get to that, I want to know how your proceedings with the Federation are going.  Have you procured our requests?"

"As I have said before, there are no requests.  There are only demands.  The Federation Humans and the Klingons are aware that they must share their technology with us under no certain terms.  I informed them that our government would not tolerate their technology going to the Earthers-in this case _Babylon Five_-without our permission or compensation of equal measure."

"Very good, Londo," Refa answered.  "Very good.  And what did they say?  How did they respond?"

"Well," he began.  "It was good that there were no weapons in the room or otherwise I wouldn't be here having this conversation with you.  The Earthers, all of them, said no.  I believe that the Klingons wanted to rip me into little pieces and then say no.  Therefore, I believe that 'no' is the answer to our little request."

"That is too bad.  We warned them." 

Refa snatched a glass and began pouring himself a drink before continuing. 

"Is it true that the new arrivals have some type of molecular converter that allows them to travel from their ship to another place?"

Well, Mollari mused, their little secret was out and he had to make the report to his government.  That device itself was a power beyond imagining.

"Yes, it's true. I myself witnessed it.  One moment there was nothing and the next they were there as big as life. I nev-"    

Something about Lord Refa's smile paralysed him.  Great Maker!  Mollari turned to face Lord Refa truly looking at his for the first time since he had entered the room.  "Is our government going to attack them?"

The answer was silence.  It confirmed his worst fears.  

"They can't do this! They will decimate a good portion of the fleet," he yelled.  "You weren't here when the Earthers attacked.  You didn't see the aftermath of the destruction.  Who thought of this idiotic idea?"

"It was my idea, Londo, with permission from the royal court."  He continued smiling.   "I must confess that you are very good Londo.  You've managed to have our forces pull back and even I have had to, shall we say, lessen my contact with Mr. Morden.  For some reason, they are most unhappy with you.  And so am I." 

Londo watched in disgust as the man perked up like a peacock.

"You must stop this insanity before it goes any farther."

"No."

"Perhaps you didn't understand me," Londo hissed.  He didn't want to use his hold over Refa like this but he seemed to have no choice now.  "You will stop this Lord Refa or you will not live to see the outcome."

"Ah," he wisped.  "That is the second thing that I have come to tell you about."  The thin man helped himself to a seat, clearly enjoying having the upper hand.  "When I told our associates what you had done, they were most displeased.  First you rejected their generous offers after they gave such a wonderful gift.  Now you threaten me, their new contact.  They were most unhappy with you.  Mr. Morden told me to tell you that if anything happens to me, you will suffer or more specifically, your family will suffer.  If I die, then your wives, your family members, and even your friends will follow me shortly thereafter."

His eyes gleamed with unholy delight, the absolute delight of victory.

"They want the shield technology, Londo.  They want those ships or they want them neutralized before they have time to interfere."

He bent towards Mollari like some predatory animal about to pounce on its helpless prey.

"You don't have a choice.  You will support us or you will suffer, Ambassador Mollari."

Londo was shocked.  Another battle most likely another war with the Federation wherever it may be.  Maybe not now but when they find out then they will be sure to deal with whoever destroyed their ships.  And what about those crazy, oversized Klingons who seem to want to fight at a drop of one's scarf?  The only thing he could imagine was his beautiful planet burning in the aftermath.  That apparition was added to the ever-present vision of the Shadows flying over his world with impunity, and his eventual death by the hands of the Narn he hated and feared the most.

"Nothing good will come of this!" he had to convince this fool to stop before it was too late.

"We shall see," his adversary laughed.  "You have no trust in our military, Londo.  Come now, we have shown the universe that we are a power once more.  The Narn home world lies burned and broken at our feet.  No one will dare oppose us after the Klingon vessel lay ruined and smouldering as it is pulled back to Centauri Prime."

_The damaged Klingon ship would be attacked instead of Federation ones?_  Londo had to admit it made sense.  Their technology had to be at least equal to the Federation's and most likely the others might not defend them as aggressively.  And the ship was damaged.  But there were a few major problems with this, the first being _B5_, the second being the Klingons themselves.  The third might be the Federation vessels not taking kindly to such action, even against their enemies.   

"The Klingon ship was seen skirting our territory without permission, possibly on a spying mission."

Refa seemed overjoyed at that little incident.  The Klingon cruiser had unknowingly edged Centauri territory on its way to _Babylon Five_.  The Klingons could not have cared less whose territories they had violated.  It was the most flimsy excuse for this operation, but it was an excuse to be exploited nevertheless.

"As such, we have a responsibility to defend our sovereign territory.  We must ascertain why they were there and what they saw."  

Mollari recognized and other, darker quandary while trying to head off this potential disaster.   

"Refa, do you think that they will possibly let you retrieve those the secrets?"

"They?  As in our associates whom you've forced me to avoid?" Refa asked innocently.  "Those ships are a source of irritation to them.  The sooner they are dealt with the better.  They have no place here Londo.  And if you are not careful, neither will you."

Refa moved closer.  "They are as the strong breeze that sweeps everything clean.  You can no more fight them as you can capture the wind."

"And what will become of us?  Will we be swept aside as well?"

"We will be at their side, Londo."  He began to laugh at Londo's horrified look.  "And we will ascend with them.  Be ready.  We do not want Sheridan interfering with our operation.  We need the aire of diplomacy that you alone can and will provide."  Then he laughed at Londo again.  

The man actually believed that!  Londo suppressed the urge to throw him out of his room, after he gutted him.  Refa was a fool, yes but a dangerous fool that as of now he could not touch.  Now Refa had it in for him and he knew it.  

The Ambassador thought that he had some control of the situation. But everything has changed, he thought bitterly.  The question was what was he going to do now?  Right now he needed time to sort this out.  Before time ran out he would think of something.

**_EAS EVANSTON _****200 MILES ABOVE VEGA COLONY:**

Seven Earth Force heavy warships orbiting the captured colony, re-adjusted their orbital trajectories as two newly arrived cruisers approached.  From them two shuttles moved towards the _EAS Evanston_.    

"Officers on the bridge!"

Captain Terrell Drake stood at hard attention as General Brindley and several high-ranking officers entered the bridge of the _EAS Evanston_.  By the time everyone entered, the normally spacious bridge seemed crowded.  

"At ease, Captain," Brindley ordered.  "I want your evaluation.  Will you be ready?"

A little more than a three months ago, Captain Drake and his ship had survived an encounter with the _USS Enterprise-D_.  Barely.  His combat group, completely unprepared for what they were getting into, had been ripped apart by that one ship's unimagined firepower.  Well, this time it would be different.  

"With the time constraints?  In my opinion, no," Drake curtly answered.  "The latest reports from our operatives are that there is another ship in the area.  It's a warship from the enemies of the Federation called Clingkons.  It's evidently damaged but when it appeared, Picard's and the other ship lit up like Christmas trees."

"Did they attack?"  

"No," he said with some regret.  It would have been nice to have them blow one another into dust.

"Evidently the warship asked for protection from _Babylon Five_ before the others could blow it out of space."

"And Sheridan allowed this?"  

"Yes, sir."

This was exactly what General Brindley and several others feared, that the Federation war (wherever that is) would spill over into their sector.  It was impossible to dismiss the claims of the Federation was a figment of someone's imagination now.  This wasn't something Sheridan cooked up-which shattered more than a few hopes-but a large powerful force out there armed with fantastic technology.  Earth wouldn't stand a chance if these strangers, Human or not, began a campaign of conquest.

"Who are these newcomers?"

"These aliens are some sort of warrior race, dedicated to combat and the glory of the kill.  However the most interesting thing was how they appeared in _B5 _space."

Silence reigned for a moment.

"They didn't initiate a jump point.  There were rumours that the ship simply appeared there but our people suspect that they used the same FTL as the Federation ships." Quietly:  "There's another rumour as well, sir."

"Spit it out."  

Captain Drake pointed to a young Lieutenant to answer that question.

"I'm Lieutenant Han, sir," she said before the officers would ask, especially since her Captain did not it important enough to introduce her.  "The enemy ship is believed to have transmat technology."

"What?" 

That titbit was fascinating in the extreme.  The power that such a device could bring would be absolute.  Brindley had never heard of such a thing being achieved.  Scientists had been trying to develop something like that for decades with no success.  The Heisenberg uncertainly principle-which states that the position or the motion of a particular subatomic particle can be predicted but not both at the same time- kept getting in the way.  Matter could be broken down but not re-integrated back to the original state.  The most promising results of all the experiments resulted in a mess all over the lab.  

"Does the Federation ships have the same capability?"

"Unknown, Sir.  Analysis sector believe they do not have this particular device.  But we postulate that they must have defences against the various attacks we can imagine could occur from someone who did.  Maybe the defensive shields somehow negate the transmat signals; otherwise the enemy could simply place a bomb inside their ship and blow it to pieces.  And the fact that the_ Enterprise _and _Ambassador_ didn't use that technique against our ships seem to support this."

"However, they do have something similar," Brindley said.  "The food replication device, which theoretically works on the same principle.  I assume that that was taken into consideration."

"Yes, sir. If they do have the same, identical technology, and we have no proof of this, they haven't shown any evidence of it."

"That we've seen."

"Yes, sir."

General Pickett, one of the staff members started with questions of his own.

"Have we been able to ascertain the type of weaponry used against our ships?  What's the range?  Do we have anything capable of getting thought their shields?"

"Our biggest problems, obviously are those defensive shields," Han continued.  "We've analysed the last attack on the _Ambassado_r.  Scans showed eighty-five percent drop in their shield energy ratings after the attacks of the EarthForce destroyers using full power in an sustained attack.  Our sustained plasma beams seemed to be the most effective as compared to the nuclear payloads and our lasers.  However, the payloads were tactical in nature and their power was scattered over a much wider area.  If we continue to use nuclear weapons against them, they need to be configured so that as much of the energy as possible will hit one point and theoretically overload their shields."

"The Captain of the _Ambassador _didn't respond to the attack until her shields were almost depleted," Captain Drake said.  Analysis indicated that the _Ambassador_ tried to secure the pirate ship and as a result took several major hits.  Even then those fantastic shields deflected the enormous energies directed at it.  "Garrett seems to be more reluctant to fight.  She waited until it was almost too late.  She didn't destroy the _Lenmark_, merely disabled it. If she sticks to her pattern, then it may be something that we can exploit.  Picard however, is another animal altogether."

Merely saying his name made his stomach curl.  He hated the man. 

"Captain Picard will be executed, if he's still alive, when we capture or destroy the _Enterprise-D_.  But you're correct; he is a problem.  He's a veteran.  His tactics, speed and weaponry at his disposal makes him a formidable enemy.  It might be better if we destroy it completely and concentrate on capturing the _Ambassador_ instead."

"I disagree concerning the analysis of the Captain of the _Ambassador_, but it might also be in our interest to keep Picard alive as long as possible," an EAS Colonel suggested.   "He would be a invaluable prisoner, since he would possess codes and tactical data on the Federation and others we'll encounter in the future."

"He's too dangerous, sir," Drake answered.  "If he survives, then we should pump him for information.  But he should then be executed, as per President Clarke's orders.  We should get rid of him and those ships.  Leave absolutely no evidence of them ever being here.  

"Sheridan should be on the list, too."

"No," a second, one star General responded in his gravely voice.  "He's fast becoming a symbol and that is the last thing we need are more defections coming over to his side.  No," he repeated.  "Our President has other plans for him.  Captain, our intention is not to destroy _B5_ but to capture it.  It is EarthGov property.  Remember that."

The Lieutenant cleared his throat and unwanted attention was refocused back to him.  "We have to get close enough for our weapons to be effective, and that's another obstacle. Their beam weapons have an effective kill radius of one hundred, eighty-six thousand miles, or one light second.  And their anti-matter missiles can track and outrun anything we have moving in normal space.  Counter measures have proven completely ineffective so far.  But we've developed a weapons system that may help even the odds."  

The weapon in question wasn't officially supposed to be ready until a year from now, But President Clarke had insisted that it be deployed now.  The prototype was crude and might very well blow itself to pieces after the first firing, but a lot of bets were being placed on its effectiveness.

"Therefore, the ideal situation would be for us to hit them without their shields active, and close enough so that our weapons can be the most devastating and getting in the first strike," the colonel finished.

"That's wishful thinking, Colonel Griffin.  We still may not be able to get thru those shields in time to keep them from picking us apart.  We need to attack at a time of our choosing.  And we need a diversion."

"When will we be ready?" 

"Operation Shatterfist will be ready in three months," Drake said.  "Our package will be delivered by then and once it checks out, we will proceed."

Then he would personally return the favour that Picard had so graciously given him-humiliation and a broken ship.  Only there would be no escape, not for him.   

Brindley's face drained.  In three months, they might be gone or worse they might start upgrading _B5_.  If they leave then they might come back with a lot more ships.  Earth Forces had to show that they were strong and couldn't be pushed around.  Three months was too long, but there was no choice.

"Our president has also prepared a diversion of his own.   Let's see if this plan can come together."

**Chapter Twelve**

****

**_               "_****And the Ripple-a Wave of Change"**

Security chief Michael Garibaldi and Zack, his second-in-command were sitting some distance from both Federation Captains watching the little conversation between them and Mr. Morden.  Again Garibaldi was disturbed by the possibility that silence was doing more harm than good.  Morden was for all intents and purposes the agent of the very enemy people had been waiting for the last thousand, or so, years.  Now he was in the middle of speaking to a group who were from literally not of this universe.   If that wasn't a recipe for disaster, he didn't know what qualified as one.

He liked these people, especially Deanna and security chief Yar.  But his paranoia wouldn't allow him to get comfortable with these people.  Every time he did get comfortable, something came out and bit him for his troubles.

He took a sip of coffee, or what _Babylon Five_ called coffee and revisited the urge to spit it out.  "Zack, when I woke up this morning, I had real coffee, or should I say that replicated coffee."  As he thought about it, it became even more apparent that he could not discern the difference between the replicated foods and the real thing.  His experimentation with his personal food replicator had caused him to have to exercise more.   "I don't even think about the stuff they serve here."

He looked at the closest restaurant.  _That was the perfect example_ he thought.  No longer did they have to wait for their supplies from an Earth that was blockading them.  Now, all they had to do was to requisition their order from _B5 _and they supplied the order via the industrial replicators supplied by the _Enterprise-D_.  With them they were becoming self-sustaining.  Even gas production became less critical.

_B5_ charged for everything and now those prices were cheaper and the quality excellent.  Not only was this true with food but with, hard to get supplies and textiles.  Worn parts were no longer a concern.   Have a damaged or destroyed engine?  Replicate a new one within ten minutes.  Need those exotic shuttle parts?  We have it all for a reasonable price and it's new and guaranteed to last longer than the original piece!

The beginnings of artificial gravity and polarizing plating in critical areas were a godsend.  Even the lurkers down below were benefiting with clothing and food and medicines.  Life was getting better and better on the station all the time.  But there were those who didn't like the changes taking place.  Criminal elements that benefited from the exorbitant prices saw an alarming loss of revenue as smuggling became unprofitable.  The resultant hostility from those few that saw their profits dwindling was vandalism and rumor.  The best and most effective rumor was that the food was poisoned and designed to get rid of the undesirables down below so that things could be stretched among fewer survivors.  That seemed effective for about a week.  

However, the most potential damaging situation was the attempted destruction of the replicator unit.  That resulted in increased security for the area.  There were no repeated offenses, especially with that newly built force field in place.

"I can't believe how much the station's changed.  The problem is I can't tell if it's a good thing or bad."

"It looks good to me."  Zack had heard about those food replicators, but he didn't have a personal one in his apartment; only a select few had that luxury.   _High enough to have  heard about it, but_ _not high enough to get one_, he thought.  _How typical._

Michael rubbed the back of his neck.  The station's survival was paramount now.  The Shadow strategies had been simple-get the various races to fight one another and bleed their resources, effectively crippling themselves.  Most of the non-aligned worlds had signed the mutual agreement pact and now the Shadows were attacking openly.  Things were going downhill fast and no one had an idea of their true purposes.  

On the other hand, the Feds and their 'friends' seemed to be doing well, but he had more important problems than loud talkers, namely Stephen.  Today he made a mistake and almost killed a patient of his.  It had gotten to the point that he almost went 'official', which would have destroyed Stephen's career but at the last second he chose not to.  But the bottom line was that Stephen was addicted to stems and only he could chose his direction.  Recovery or ruin was in front of him now.

"It's time for me to get back to work.  I think they'll be okay for now," Michael said.  "Keep an eye on them, just in case."

"Yes, sir."  

As soon as his boss was out of sight Zack drank the last of the remaining coffee left by him.  It wasn't the best he ever had.  It was true; officers really did get the best stuff first.

Onboard the _Enterprise-D_, Stephen sat wearily in the office of the Ships' Doctor.   The woman looking at him seemed to be trying to decide whether to help him or kick him through the nearest bulkhead.  It was abundantly clear that Beverly Crusher was angry-no; make that very mad-at him.  Her eyes were flashing and for a moment he wondered if this was the best place for him to come to for help. 

"So, how long have you known?"  

"As long as I've known you," she replied.  "You overwork, you've been increasingly grouchy and you don't have a clue about delegating responsibilities."  She got out of her chair and began to pace the room.  "I could have reported my suspicions to the Captain, but I kept hoping that you be responsible and deal with this on your own.  But like any good doctor, you've typically ignored the signs."

"You could have said something," responded Stephen who felt suspiciously like a kid who was being taken to task for breaking a window.

"And would you have listened?  I don't think so," she said answering her own question.   She moved back towards him.  "What are you going to do?"

I almost killed my patient.  "Stephen's eyes glazed over.  "I can't continue like this.  I came so close."  If the patient had died, he did not believe that he could live with himself, he thought.  _Michael was right to confront me.  My friend was right._ "I am going to have to kick this habit before I am of use to anyone."

"That's correct," Beverly confirmed as she returned to her chair.  "You have to.  Now, I can cure your physical addition to stems, but I can't cure your desire for them.  That's something that you have to do."

She was correct.  With their medical technology she could cure him.  But then what?  "I have to find myself," he muttered.

"What?"  She hadn't fully heard what he said.

"I have to find myself," he repeated, more forcefully this time.

Beverly Crusher sighed loudly.  "Fool."

"Excuse me?"

"So much like a man," she snarled.  "_I have to go find myself_," she mimicked.   "You will stay here on the _Enterprise-D_, until I say you're fit for duty."

Stammering: "You can do this!  I can't be your patient."  He didn't like this idea at all.  He needed to be free to figure this out on his own.

"You won't be my patient, doctor." She smiled deviously.  "Dr. Shalva will be your psych therapist."

"But she's a Vulcan," he protested.  "She has no idea what it's like.  Deanna would be better."

Crusher was having none of that.  "Try her.  Wait, let me change that," she said.  "You WILL try her.  _B5_ needs you at its best.  A war is coming and your Captain has enough problems without his chief medical officer, strung out on stems and psychologically unstable."

"I'll consider it."

"Patients come to you for help, Stephen," Crusher said.  She had to convince him to stay.  "I think that's why you're here.  Be an example for your patients.  Be an example for me," she whispered.     

'But she's too old' was the first thing that passed thru his mind.  But then why did he come here in he first place?  To get help?  To talk to someone? Or was there something more?

"I really have to think about this."

Dr. Crusher got back up and prepared an injector.  "May I?"

He simply shook his head and she administered the drug directly into his artery.   Quickly, he became woozy.  "What did you give me, Doctor?"  He was becoming more tired by the second.

"Antidote and a sedative," answered Beverly.  "You need the rest and you know how Doctors and Captains are about that.  See you in twenty-four."

He was light-headed now and fading fast.  _Did she say twenty-four?  _That was his last coherent thought before he began snoring deeply.  

"Crusher to _Babylon Five_."

Please inform Security Chief Garibaldi that Dr. Franklin will be on medical leave for the next few days onboard the _Enterprise-D_.  If he can, I would like to speak with him when he has the time."

"Acknowledged, _Enterprise_."

"CTS to Commander Riker, I have an emergency transport in progress, Security alert!"

Onboard the Battleship _Enterprise-D_, Chief Transport Specialist Miles O'Brien finished transporting Commander Data, Lieutenant Troi, and B'Elanna Torres into transporter room four.  As per standard procedure, only Federation personnel identified by the pattern buffers completed transport.  The other patterns remained in the buffer now being controlled manually.

"Security to transporter room four," Data said the instant he was free from stasis.  

"No, Data," Deanna corrected.  "Considering our prisoners, Security should consist of Betazoids or Vulcans.  

"A wise precaution, Doctor," Data responded.  "Mr. O'Brien, Commander Ivanova is in transport stasis.  Please complete her transport sequence."

"Yes, sir."  He was able to identify her from her transporter pattern from the _Ambassador's_ data transfer.  Her transporter pattern, as well as all of the command staff who had used the transporters so far, were shared by both ships.   "Completing transport now."  

A stunned and somewhat shaken Susan Ivanova solidified and stepped off the transport hub.  This was her second transporter trip so she had some idea of what was happening. "Where are they?" she snarled.  "Are they still on _B5_?"

"No, Commander.  They are inside that," Data said pointing to the computer console next to O'Brien.  "When Security comes we will complete transport."

Seconds later, security was there, consisting of a team of five, three Betazoids and two Vulcans.  In addition Dr. Selar had joined them, as was standard protocol in these emergencies.

Both of them appear to have weapons of some type," the Chief said.  "I'm inactivating them now."  He touched several interface touch pads.  "Done, sir."

"Mr. O'Brien, please complete the transport now.  And activate the containment field."

"Energizing…"

As they all watched, two forms began to take shape on the transporter pads.  The re-configured woman was screaming, trying to fire her weapon.   Both Psi-Corps cops were completely disoriented and more or less petrified.  O'Brien left the room as fear turned quickly into anger.  And in anger both telepaths lashed out at their captors.  

Then they started screaming.  

In his fear and hatred Bester howled.  "Stop it!  What are you doing?!"

The pain ceased and both gasped in blessed relief.

Deanna moved closer to the two prisoners.  "You see what I mean, Mr. Bester?  We would cause you distress if we joined you.  There would be war.  Welcome to the _Enterprise-D_."

He was paralyzed-literally. 'Stasis field' he heard.  He couldn't move.  How did he get on the ship?  Then he remembered Deanna and the meld and he understood exactly what the transporter was.  What a device!  It was a fantastic weapon.   Next to him, Jackie Thompson's fear was leaving her as comprehension dawned.  They were surrounded by telepaths.  Powerful ones like Deanna-no-even more powerful, more refined.  And those other aliens were so, so logical in their thoughts.  They had allowed him a peripheral glance into their minds before they slammed the door shut.  The others had violently reflected his and Jackie's combined mental strike back onto them.  It was the first time he understood what that type of pain truly felt like.  He had inflicted a similar pain on many others, but never had he experienced it, not like this.  And there was more-

-Alternate reality.  These people were not from around here.  In fact they weren't even from this universe!  No wonder they were so different!

"So, how do you like their little travel device?"  That was Susan's voice.  "Fascinating, isn't it?"

Susan was gloating again, clearly enjoying his entrapment.   How he hated that!   Somehow every time he came to this wretched place they had humiliated him, laughed at him, at every opportunity.  Well, now he had something on them.

Ignoring the Commander he spoke directly to the Betazoid.  "I guess you realize that the 'cats' out of the bag, so to speak," he said trying to regain some control of the situation.  "Deanna you have something on me and I have something on you.  Talk about illegal aliens!" he laughed.  "You're not from this galaxy or should I say not from this universe's galaxy anyway."  His laughter was strained.  He and his partner were trying to read their enemy's mind but there was mental static everywhere.  "I'll make a deal with you.  You keep our little secrets and we'll keep yours."

"What secret?" she asked.  "You mean this?"  Deanna opened herself up and everyone with the exceptions of Data and Susan 'heard and saw' the results of her mind meld with Bester.  

One of the security members activated the main computer and began speaking in the comm system and relating everything to Commanders Data and a pale Ivanova.

Realizing what was happening, Jackie was livid.  "Stop her!" she screamed, pleaded with Bester as though he could do something about it.  "SHE'S TELLING THEM EVERYTHING!"

"Yes, Jackie Thompson.  I am.  We don't care if you know where we come from.  That is a far less interesting secret than are yours, you must admit.  I am sure the Captain will be most interested in you trying to kill members of his crew."

Bester wanted to kill everyone in the room, the whole ship, in fact.  Everything was about to be exposed.

_I guess trying to kill me was a bad idea_, Deanna 'pathed' at them.  Ignoring their ravings as both were transported directly to detention, she walked towards B'Elanna and hugged the shocked woman.  "Thank you.  You were willing to get trying to save me."

The young woman returned the hug tentatively, then completely and fully.  She was smiling at Deanna.  "You haven't finished my psych sessions yet.  I didn't want to have to break in another doctor," she whispered mockingly.  "I didn't want to lose you."

Deanna looked at her.  She really meant it.  "Have you reached a decision?"

"I would like to stay on the _Ambassador_.  I think I would like to learn more about engineering under Lieutenant Gomez. She's a little hyper but very good."  

"And there's Lieutenant Jensen."

Torres flushed slightly.  

"He does like you, you know," she said pushing in the dagger a little.  He had been security for her since she was on board.  They had been sparing with one another forever. Some of their comments and profanities against one another bordered towards art.

"Do you think that Captain Garrett will allow me to stay?"

"Probably yes.  If Mr. Worf decides to stay, I am sure she would consider you as well.  But what about the Klingons?  They may want you back."

She became a little angry.  "I decide what I want to do, who I want to be with.  Besides they will be glad to be rid of me."

"Hello, my name is Mr. Morden."

Picard's manner was pleasantly cool.   "Well, Mr. Morden, you're interfering with a private conversation," Captain Picard announced somewhat harshly.  He and Rachel knew that the man was coming but had elected to stay to keep from arousing any suspicion that they had been forewarned.  Guinan _suggested_ that they have the _Enterprise_ covertly scan them during the possible meeting, which was now coming to pass.  He agreed.  It was interesting to note how Rachel shifted into her poker face, a cross between indifference and complete hostility.  He was surprised that he found it rather engaging.  

"I am very sorry, but I represent a party that is very interested in helping you return to your colony."

"I am afraid that that may be beyond the ability of your party to help us in that way," Picard said.  "And as for any formal negotiations I must refer you to our ambassador, Guinan."

Trying not to react as much as he could about going back to see Guinan, he pressed on.  "Captains, it would be in your interest to hear what I have to say."  He moved closer but Rachel's stare rooted him to the spot.   "We can help you get back to your part of the galaxy.  That is where you want to go, isn't it?  I'm sure that my associates can provide information to make that journey a reality."

"Mr. Morden, right now we want to go somewhere where we can have a conversation without every single person interfering every few minutes."  

Obviously frustrated, he redoubled his smile.  "Well, I guess I'll have to speak to Ambassador Guinan," said Morden after a few seconds of struggle.  

Captain Garrett was looking at him, perplexed.  "Is there a problem, Mr. Morden?"   

"No, Captain.  Perhaps I can talk to you another time."

Morden noticed her smile and the slight nodding of her head as she said, "Perhaps."

That made the thing on his face change to something resembling a real smile.  He left invigorated. 

The two Captains relaxed once more and continued their conversations until Captain Picard's comm beeped.  "Report."

"Scans report all clear," Tasha said.   "You were right, Captain.  We did find something.  Whoever that person was he wasn't alone."

"Specify."

"The man talking to you was Human, but there was something else, almost like cloaked images all around him.  We refined the scans and got a clear image."  

"What took you so long to give us the all clear?"

 "One of the cloaked entities remained next to you for almost ten minutes.  That's why there was a delay from us calling you."

A cloaked entity?  Neither of them had noticed anything amiss.  He and Garrett suspected that something similar, maybe a planted bug that would record their immediate conversations.  In Picard's opinion, the man's presentation was slicker than oil.  So, they continued casually, until the _Enterprise_ gave them the all clear.  But invisible creatures had not occurred to them.

"I think you better have a look, sir. We can transmit the image to your quarters."

They both got up.  "Make it so."

"Vir, make sure there are enough flowers!  I want the whole room filled with flowers, real flowers!  Not the replicated ones!"

Vir Cotto, Londo's assistant, aid and some might say best friend, shook slightly when he thought of the cost this little indulgence.  Flowers were expensive on a space station, sometimes going for more than a hundred credits apiece, and Londo wanted a room full of them.  He shook again.  If only he had that kind of money, flowers would be the last thing on his list.  However it was not his money therefore one did what the boss told one to do.  But still he felt obligated to count the costs.  

"Londo," the slightly plumb aide said.  "Are you sure?  It's going to cost a lot of money.  I mean a lot."  _A lot_.

Don't worry, "he was assured.  "We will put it on the ambassadorial account."

_Oh joy_, Vir thought.  Hopefully it wouldn't hurt his check this month.  He began ordering the flowers just before Londo, now feeling more relaxed, left the room.  

Londo, despite the ever-mounting problems being heaped upon his shoulders was feeling giddy right now.  His beloved Adira was coming to see him.  She was the only woman in his life right now that he truly loved.  She gave him light in the darkness that seemed to be consuming him.   

Adira was once nothing more than a meager slave girl, but one of such beauty of soul- that she had captured his heart and now she was coming here to see him.  The woman truly cared for him and that made him feel like a young man, almost making him forget the political serpents coiled around his feet.  Humans, Federations, Klingons, Minbari, Shadows, all were swept aside by the emotions burning in his chest right now.  For the moment, not even Refa's stupidity would bother him.  He almost felt happy, a feeling he barely remembered during all these long months.  

Those wonderful feelings dissipated as soon as he turned the corner of his hallway.  For some reason the overhead lights darkened and before he realized it, his antagonist Mr. Morden, was waiting for him at the other end of the corridor.  Londo could tell he was not in a good mood.  It was clear that he purposefully sat up this little impromptu meeting.

"Hello Londo.  It's good to see you again," Morden said, meaning none of it.  "I am sorry to say that my associates are not pleased at you for reneging on our deal.  They were relying on you to fulfill your part of the bargain.  We needed you to be our contact in the Centauri government."

"You mean spy, don't you," Londo corrected.  "No, Mr. Morden.  This little bargain you set up was not for my benefit any more than those little wars you have going with the non-aligned worlds, yes?  I got to thinking about why you have so many conflicts going on, weakening everyone's resources including m government and what I discovered, I did not like.  My people are in the same situation as everyone else."

"Londo.  We need your government to continue their actions against the non-aligned worlds."  There, Morden thought, the truth was finally out.  "We honored your request and you turned on us."

"Just as you will soon turn on my people?  No, Mr. Morden," he said sensing the not-so-veiled threat.  "You and your associates will have to find some other way to solve your little difficulties other than by the expense of my people."

The shadows across Morden's face darkened, even as Mollari heard small-unidentified noises brush past his right ear.  Turning to identify where the sound came from, he saw nothing.

"Londo, if you don't reconsider-"

"What?  You will threaten to kill me?  I still won't agree.  There is nothing you can do to me that hasn't already been tried.  So go ahead.  Do what you want.  It will make no difference.  I have already made this clear to Lord Refa."

"He was never our first choice Londo, and we would never consider killing you," said a hurt looking Morden.   "But if you can't help us, would you at least tell us a little more about Ambassador Guinan?"

"You have already met her, yes?" 

A disturbed Shadow agent shook his head.  "Yes.  And she was particularly non-receptive.  You didn't by chance-say anything to her?"

Londo was surprised and pleased that he didn't get anywhere with her.  "No, I didn't say anything to her.  She is a very perceptive person.  Maybe she just didn't like you.  Maybe your _vibes_ as she likes to say, didn't agree with her."

There was a flicker of hostility and then that phony smile was plastered on Morden's face again.  "Do you have any idea what she might be interested in?"

_Besides going home_? He thought about it for a second.  "I have been made to understand that she loves making exotic drinks.  Maybe if you offer her some recipes her attitude may change."  He smiled.

Morden frowned and again Londo heard those frightening noises.  "Londo if you change your mind, I'll be around."

"I'm so glad to hear that," Londo said as he quickly left the Human's presence.  

If he turned around Londo may have noticed a spidery shadow taking form next to Morden.   There were sounds coming from the creature now, vicious and much louder.  

"No.  We don't have to kill him.   I have a plan that will return him back to the us."

The shadow faded once more and Morden was again seemingly alone.

Captain Sheridan was enraged.  How dare Kosh turn his back on him after all the things he had done for him?  He made his feelings quite clear.  Kosh had essentially done nothing except throw out comments most people couldn't understand.  He enjoyed being cryptic and John was sick of it.

"Leave. Now," Kosh had said after energy slapping John.

"No," came his response.

"Impudence," Kosh growled, moving closer to enforce those words.

"Up yours," Sheridan retaliated, not backing down for a second.

And that's when Kosh drew first blood and John felt pain and something else.  Hurt, even betrayal.  He had begun to trust him Kosh, who now would not help when needed most.  However, that was secondary, because he was angry because Kosh was angry.  

"You want to kill me," he asked.  "Well, you'll have to because that's the only way I'm leaving.  I've got nothing to lose.  Unless you get off your encounter-suited butts and do something, I'll die anyway.  Hell, even my own government wants to kill me.  The Minbari can't protect _B5_ forever, the Alliance is falling apart and those Federation ships are a two-edged sword.  They're helping but at the same time, my own government may attack us all simply get at them.  We need a small victory, something and you are the key to it.  Shadows are destroying everything.  So, if my death, helps you balance out the books, then so be it."

"It is not time.  But-"

John heard him say as he felt the energy radiating from Kosh slowly subside.  

"I will do as you suggest.  But there will be a price."

"There always is."  _Here it comes_, he thought.

"I will not be there to help you when you go to Z'ha'dum'."

"Of course," sneered John.  "You have to exact a price?  That's okay.  I'll go it alone without your help and I will die."

"You will," the Vorlon said. "Now."  

"I thought better of you, Kosh," Sheridan said rather harshly.  "I thought…"  

He was silent for a moment as he faced the alien ambassador and his supposed friend.  He wrung his hands, and then rubbed the pain from his neck.  "Withhold your help."  

You do not understand," the Vorlon said as he walked away from the Captain.  "But you will."  He turned left, then stopped and proceeded to go right instead, away from his quarters.  

It was another small difference that would chance everything.

Not fully understanding what just happened, which was the usual case with Vorlons, Sheridan turned towards the command center.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**_"Waves Before the Storm"_**

What made the Vorlon called Kosh turn away from his quarters would be something he would ponder as long as he lived.  Perhaps it was fate or perhaps it was something else.  What he had chosen to do frighten him so much he didn't even want to think about it.  Vorlons did not like death-their deaths.  He had been poisoned once and the specter of death came far too close to ever be confronted again anytime in the near future.

His people were not ready.  The heavy destroyers were not sufficient enough in numbers to stand off a full retaliatory strike by the Shadows.  However, they didn't know that, so in vengeance they would come after him.  He, as an Ambassador would be defenseless against the hunters of the dark.  Order needed to be maintained.  As he lumbered ever forward, he communicated to his fellow Vorlons his request.  They all knew the price, but they agreed that this was the correct thing to do.  Hopefully the worst-case scenario would not come to pass but it was true that the lesser races entrusted to their care needed a victory now, or all would be lost.  And it would gain the one thing most needed.      

Time.

-At a most terrible price.

He found himself ringing the chime of the Federation Ambassador.  He felt that he must be in some sort of daze to even come be here.  He had went out of his way to avoid this female alien which, on the surface, was not that unusual since he very rarely met with other Ambassadors on _B5_ as a matter of course.  However Guinan and these others were of a different breed.  These beings had not been genetically programmed by Vorlons, and they did not have an instinctual awe of his people as the others for seventy light-years around had.  None of the other sentients on those alien ships matched computer records.  Further, there was something about this woman that almost reminded him of his own people and that made him feel uncomfortable.

Guinan opened the door.  "It's about time, Ambassador," she said as she smiled brightly. 

She looked glad to see him and that aggravated him.  Most people were intimidated by his presence when they saw him.  He liked that because they should have been; but he could tell she wasn't.  Habit forced him to say the words he had been planning to say for the last three months or so.  The translator produced the delayed words.  "You should not be here.  You have never been here."

She invited him in and he followed awkwardly in his containment suit he really didn't need.  With these people here, history wasn't flowing that way it should.  The ancient records-what was left of them-ago had not even hinted of these people.  Everything had changed now and time had once again become unpredictable and all Vorlons hated unpredictability.  This was especially true during this critical time of unfolding history.  

"I am here where I am.  I can be nowhere else," she answered.  

_What did she mean by that_? 

"Explain," his translator ordered.

"We didn't want to be here, but we are.  You will just have to adjust to the situation."

"Why did you come?" his translator asked.  "You are not from here."

"And what does _here_ mean?"

The Human Ambassador was being cryptic.  He was not in the mood for this.  Kosh's visor closed halfway, responding automatically to the emotions he felt.  "Go," he said with finality.  "Now."

The woman called Guinan turned around and sat on the couch and invited him to come over–and sit.  He decided to decline, of course.  The woman smiled and started talking.  

Why he stayed he would never fully know.  At first he suspected that she was telepathic, somehow influencing him, but he would have detected that kind of probing.  There was something else about her that simply mesmerized him.  

"Ambassador Kosh, "whispered Guinan, looking away as though she were in another world.  "I have seen so many like you, long-lived, proud, slightly contemptuous of the younger races.  You know," she continued.  "You remind me so much of the Organians."

"Organians?" _Who_ _were they_? The name was not familiar to him.  But then, names really meant nothing in the scheme of things.

The Organians are a non-corporeal species," she said answering his unspoken question.  "They abhor violence in any fashion especially when it pertained to the younger more primitive races.  These entities once forced a resolution to a war where I come from.  But they really didn't want to get their hands dirty in the process.  They weren't concerned with the death and destruction as much as the irritation it caused them.  War among the primitives gave them headaches, you see. Because they had forgotten their own past, the Organians did all the right things for all the wrong reasons."

"Irrelevant."  This conversation was pointless.  He turned to leave.  

But her next comment froze him where he stood.  

"They were afraid of what would happen.  Kosh, are you afraid?"

His body seemed to snap back towards her of its own free will.   "Explain."

She had him and he knew she had him.  

"You remind me of my father," she stated, clearly enjoying her victory.  "My people are a race of listeners, which can be a good or bad thing.  We just love to listen, but in my father's case, he eventually became so enamored with listening that he could no longer talk to people.  His answers became cryptic.  He couldn't explain himself anymore.  It took my mother almost a hundred years to get him back to the point that he was able to have a normal conversation.  In many ways, you're so like him."

"You don't need the translator to speak, but you hide behind it so that you can be mysterious and dangerous.   You hide behind this environmental suit to protect every bit of yourself from prying eyes-eyes that can tell when you're happy or sad, or even afraid.  But to a listener like myself, one who watches and sees everything, I can tell.  Even when it's covered up, the body never lies.  So again I ask, can we help you?"

_Can_ _you help me?  You little primitives_, he thought, his mind dripping with distain.   _You are less than dust in the wind.  You can no longer help me that stop the wind from blowing.  How can one help a being that has walked across this universe like a god?  Oh, how arrogant is this species called Humanity!_

"The circle will not complete itself," Kosh said thru his translator.  "You must go."  Arrogant or not, this woman was disturbing.

"Kosh, there are lots of circles in the universe," Guinan pointed out.  "So many, in fact that they hardly ever complete themselves the way we want them to." The circle you speak of is gone.  Another one has taken its place.  It may be better or it may be worse.  Only time will tell.  Whether we go or stay nothing will ever be the same again."

"There's a war going on with the Shadow beings and it seems that the only group not interested in the fighting are the Vorlons.  But that's not true is it?   You're not above these petty conflicts, are you?  I don't think so," she murmured once more. "You're probably in so deep that you don't know what to do."

Kosh began scrutinized this woman closely.  Her awareness seemed unusually canny.  And there was the fact that her technology had made radical shifts from the conventional norms.  This in itself might be enough to shift the war in the Vorlon's favor.  

The Vorlon planet-killers and support ships were not completely grown yet and they still were at a disadvantage if the Shadows decided begin an all-out attack.  If they discovered his people's weakness, the 'rules of war' might well go out the window.  Maybe these people could be useful, but first they needed to be molded properly.

"Who are you?"  It was the question of the ages he thought.  Everything started with self-understanding.

"That's simple enough question to answer," the woman announced as though this was the most important question in existence.  It was, he knew, but she didn't know it yet.  

"I am Guinan," the woman continued.  "I am El-Aurian, a race of listeners, who have walked the galaxy for nearly a thousand years before we were cut down by that which we call the Collective.  I wasn't there personally, but I heard the reports."  Her eyes became misty as she remembered the reports of the slaughter.  "When they came, they swept thru our system.  And when they finished, there was little or nothing left of my people.  I found my way to the Federation and have made it my home."

"Who am I?" she continued.  "Well, I've been working on that question for at least four hundred years and I've just about got it figured out.  But that is for me to know.  To know ones self is always a journey of self-discovery, privileged to be shared with only a precious few.  Now, who are you and why are you covered in an environmental suit that you really don't need?"

Kosh stood astonished.  She had given him just enough information to let him know that she was more than Human, far more.  He was at a loss for words.  When he saw Guinan, it was as though he was looking at a First One, one of the ancients. The only question he could ask himself was just who were these people and more importantly who was Guinan?  Could these people possibly help?

Sheridan really did not have time for this.   There were too many things on the plate right at this moment.  The Shadows were attacking openly now and so far no one had been able to defend themselves against their superior firepower.  Kosh had promised to do something but exactly what that was he wasn't saying.  He hoped that the Vorlons would send a fleet and kick Shadow butt but again, with the Vorlons one could never be sure.  However Kosh did promise a victory and Kosh, in his own way, kept his promises. Yes, the pressure was on but he decided to make the time to see what Captains Picard and Garrett had to show him.  So far they had been the very models of decorum and now that _B5 _was almost completely independent he actually did have a little more free time to be taken up by something else.

He pressed the announcement chimes and Picard responded immediately.  "Come."

He entered the quarters and saw them, both looking very sober, standing next to the large screen at the end of the room waiting for him to join them.  

"Thank you for coming at such short notice, Captain Sheridan," Picard said to him.   "Earlier today Guinan was visited by a rather strange individual, a Mr. Morden, who seemed most eager to help us get back to our own part of the galaxy.  For a small price he even suggested that he and his associates could ease the tensions between EarthGov and us."

John blanched at the mentioning of that man.  "Mr. Morden is a man who deals in assorted business that, I assure you, are not in your best interest right now," he answered carefully.  "It would be wise of you to avoid him and not mix yourself in any of his business dealings.  Other than that there's not much more that I can tell you."

Rachel and Jean-Luc caught the subtle phrasing of John's statement.  "We assumed as much," she said.  "He carries an aire about him, that neither of us felt comfortable with.  In fact, I felt a touch paranoid when he was around.  It was as though he wasn't the only one checking us out."  There was a sly look that she gave him that perked up his suspicions. 

"A healthy dose of paranoia around here is a good thing," John answered a little too casually.  _These people knew something _he realized.  _And they also know that I know_.   

They were dancing around each other, not yet willing to take the first overtures.

"At Guinan's suggestion," Rachel continued, "we had ourselves scanned when Mr. Morden was in the process of attempting to strike a deal with us.  He seemed most eager to help us and I must admit that it was rather tempting.  However…"

"We decided against it, at Guinan's warning."  

_Thank God_ he thought.

"Yes," Captain Picard answered simply.  These are the results of the scans."  Turning to the screen he re-activated it.

The images were quite clear and Sheridan was rather disturbed that the _Enterprise's_ sensors could capture everything in such high resolution.  _Babylon Five_ had no screens that could block out such detailed scans although they were in the process of getting them, curtsey of the starship _Ambassador_. The actual unprocessed images would have shown fuzzy heat images of the two Captains on the screen, but with computer augmentation it was almost like looking at a slightly out-of-focus video. Sheridan held his breath.  He knew what he was about to see.

Picard and Garrett were sitting at the booth and talking and then Morden was there.  Sheridan straightened slightly as he saw them, three of the Shadow aliens, one almost caressing Picard.  From the corner of his eye he saw Picard shiver slightly as he continued looking at the images. 

"I shall assume that these are Shadows," said Picard thru gritted teeth.   "Did you know that these creatures had infiltrated your station?"

Sheridan took a breath.  The truth pointed to itself.  "Yes," he admitted.  "I-we've known about Mr. Morden and his associates for some time now."  He sighed and momentarily the two Federation officers could see the weight of the world upon his shoulders.  "Look, there's a lot you don't understand.   _Babylon Five_ is the eye of the storm.  We are a refuge, a safe haven-if you can believe that-and our last, best hope to stave off total anarchy.  You've seen the situation here.  We have wars sprouting out over.  There's division everywhere and behind all of this are those Shadows everywhere pulling the strings from their planet to Earth and far beyond.  They've offered the one thing that few seem to be able to resist.  Power."

"The Shadows," he continued, "are destroying ships, both, military and civilians, whole colonies, maybe even entire planets.  This is why we here at _B5_ are trying to get a coalition of races together to fight against them.  This way we might have a chance.  But, we couldn't do it in the open without becoming a direct threat to them.  But that's a mote point.  It's clear that they have a strong interest in you and your ships.  The presence of Morden here means that he's scouting us out, in detail.  They've noticed us now."

It was as Rachel suspected.  The modifications of several of the Star Furies and the polarized plating had already caught the attention of several races.  It was totally logical that their enemies would want to know about them also.  That's why Morden was making friendly with them.  It seems that Shadows wanted to get information before they struck an unknown force.  

"They act like Romulans," she sneered.

Picard looked at her.  "Agreed."

Sheridan did not follow.

"The Romulans don't attack directly until they've covered all the possibilities," Picard said.  "That way they would maximize their chances for success.  Your Shadows seem to follow that same strategy." He frowned at Sheridan.  "But why didn't you simply ask us?"

"Because this isn't your fight," Sheridan answered harsher than he'd intended.  "At least it wasn't."

"Our long-ranged scans have tracked the Shadow warships until they cloaked.  They seem to be organic in nature.  We would like to know more about them.  Why are they fighting?"

_Where to begin with that question_?

"The creatures we know as the Shadows are an ancient, old species who were defeated in a war a thousand years ago.  The problem was that it took the Minbari, and several of the so-called First Ones-races who were as old as they-to drive them back.  The war was won but now they're back and all of the First Ones with the exception of one have left.  Now it's us verses them and frankly I won't be holding my breath on the outcome.  There's so much more to tell, but now isn't the time. I can have all available data sent to your ships."

"Understood," said both Federation Captains simultaneously.  

Captain John Sheridan smiled, bowed slightly and hurriedly left to get to the situation room. 

As the door closed, Picard let out a breath.  "Out of the frying into the fire."

"That about sums it up," she responded.  "They're coming after us.  You know this.  

"Yes," Picard said.  "We represent an unknown quantity that the Shadows cannot afford to ignore.   The very fact that we are here has precipitated all too many conflicts.  But here we are," he said more to himself than to Rachel.  "The Earth Government, possibly the Centauri and now the Shadows-"

"It kind of makes you wish for the simplicity of the Klingons, doesn't it?  It was a good thing that the Klingon's warp core will be ready to install in two days."

Rachel watched as Picard smiled grimly.  "We need to have a talk with Guinan."  

Picard's communicator beeped, halting his response.

"Picard here."

"Captain."  It was Commander Riker.  "We have a situation on the _Enterprise_.  Someone tried to kill Lieutenant Troi, Data, B'Elanna, and Commander Ivanova."

"Status," he snapped.

"They're okay and we have the perpetrators in a holding cell.

"_Enterprise_, counterman Standing Order Four.  Two to beam up."

"Acknowledged.  Stand by."

The order to refrain from beaming to and from _B5 _was canceled and the two officers dissolved in a sparkle of light.

Picard and Garrett materialized onboard the _Enterprise-D_ a few seconds later and were escorted to the Brig by Commander Data who filled them in, in detail about the attempted murders.  By the time the group reached the brig, Picard was as angry as he'd ever been.  Garrett stood back.  This was his ship.

Inside then room, Commander Ivanova stood smirking at Bester.  "This is were I have always envisioned you to be-inside a small cell.  Personally I think this one is too good for you.  But I'll take what I can get."

Bester plainly seethed at her until he noticed the Captain and his party.  "My," he said as arrogantly as possible.  "You must be Picard.  I can tell by that serious face you have on right now.   Did you know that EarthGov has your face plaster on a dartboard?  It's very popular."

"It's _Captain_ Picard," he said, ignoring the cracks.

"Yes, sir, Captain, sir," he mocked.

_Amazing_ Picard thought.  _If it wasn't for the slightly sloped_ _forehead, and the arrogance in the eyes, he could be the spitting image of Admiral Chekov_.  "Evidently, Mr. Bester, you do not understand the seriousness of your situation.  You and your companion are being charged with the attempted murders of members of my crew."

A seemingly unconcerned Bester took a few moments before responding.  "You have no jurisdiction here, Picard.  You have no rights, no command, nothing.  You're the ultimate aliens," he answered.  "You're invaders, Picard.  Yes, I know your little secret.  You don't want to become my enemy."

"Get in line!"  Picard sighed.  It was only a matter time before this secret was no longer a secret.  "There's a point of contention here as you have tried to kill my crewmember on _Babylon Five_.  I am sure that Commander Ivanova may wish to prosecute you there.   But we are representatives of the Federation of Planets.  The floor you are standing on is Federation territory.  You, Mr. Bester, are on my ship now."

 "…You, Mr. Bester, are on my ship now," Picard had said.  

Mr. Bester's neck twitched slightly.  What Picard had just said had the sound of permanence coming from a man who in all likelihood was as determined and unflinching than Sheridan.   Next to him, his fellow Psi-cop Jackie Thomson, she of the ice-cold demeanor, had noticed the same thing.  

"Whether I'm on your ship or not makes no difference," the Psi-Cop countered, continuing his bluff.   He had to get off this ship if they were to have a chance.   "You have rules and regulations that will not allow you to execute us without a fair trial, which I very much doubt we can get here.  So, in the spirit of cooperation and the pursuit of truth, I recommend that you transfer us to _Babylon Five_.  Think of it Picard.  It would show all the governments, both Human and alien, that you respect the laws and procedures inherent here and you can keep your hands clean."

From the corner of his eye, he watched Commander Riker carefully; secretly glad that that he wasn't the Captain because he was sure that that man would have thrown him out the first convenient airlock he could find.  Again he cursed his luck at being stuck here surrounded by telepaths equal to or stronger than he.  All he could do was get a general feel for the two Captains.  If scans were directed at the two leaders the others would notice immediately and come down on him like a ton of bricks.  He was anxious but not overly so.  He had been in worse situations than this before.   He was confident he could get out of this after all they were mind-blind.

"Look," he started once more.  "I can see how my little outburst might be interpreted in a wrong light.  And my associate's actions are unforgivable.  Trying to defend me against members of your crew even if one of them was chocking me to death, what was she thinking?"   

Picard's face hadn't cracked a micrometer he saw to his dismay.  He had tried several tactics and none of them seemed to be working right now.  The situation he and Jackie found themselves in was precarious at best.  Now, Bester's eyes tracked Picard as the Federation Captain spoke.

"I have no intentions of executing either of you," Picard said evenly.  "In our society the death penalty has been outlawed."  Picard looked at him once more and Bester felt his blood chill.  "Although, as military Commander of this expedition, I can have you shot right here, right now.  You both are to be placed under arrest until we sort out the legalities of this predicament."

Bester couldn't resist smiling.  

Then the other shoe dropped.

"On this ship," Picard said coldly, "you will address me as Captain Picard."  Turning: "Commander Riker.  I want the prisoner's clothing removed and replaced with clothing appropriate to their new station.  If they prove to be uncooperative, use whatever means necessary.  They are to be quarantined until otherwise noted.  Food replicators are to be set on minimum and there is to be no access to any computer while they are confined.  In addition, I want the force fields to their cells set to opaque mode.   Make it so."

"Yes, sir," came the enthusiastic reply.

"Commander Data, I want all Lieutenants Troi's _conversation _and transcribed information sent to _Babylon Five_ along with a record our talks with the prisoners in the brig.  We will keep this nice and legal."  

A pale Bester watched as the Captain stepped closer.  "I realize that a conversation between two telepaths may not be admissible in court.  But I suspect Captain Sheridan will find this interesting."   For a second he seemed lost in thought.  "I believe I will send a copy to President Clarke also, with my compliments of course."

Both Psi-Cops could not believe what was happening.  Decades of planning was about to be blown away like so much dust and these extra-galactic aliens would be the ones for the possible downfall of the Psi-Corps before it even had a chance to shine.  It was too much.  

"You can't keep us here, Captain!"  He shook violently as the realization that he used the word 'Captain', hit home.  "You can't keep us here!  You don't have the right," he continued to scream at the Captain even as Picard left the room.  

"Deanna!"  Bester's desperate projection caught the Betzoid's attention.  "_You're different!  You're our sister.  You have a moral obligation to help us.  My Corps, your Corps, now is family.  Those people will turn on you.  The Corp is mother-the Corps is father.  Come home!_"

Deanna froze, and then turned slowly.  Well, it wouldn't work.  Together, Dr. Selar and she would make sure that the forced-bond would remain nothing more than an infatuation.   "Enjoy your stay," she answered.  _I am home_.   

_You're lying to yourself._

_Don't let the bond-lust take you over, Mr. Bester _she transmitted back at him_.  It will be bad for your health. _

_Remember, I know things about you that you wouldn't want the others to ever know.  Help us._

_Never. _She cursed the man who force-bonded with her.  _I'm at home with my thoughts and actions.  It's an imperfect world, Mr. Bester.  And keep in mind; the exchange of knowledge goes both ways. _

Picard and the others watched the silent conversation carefully.  Bonding was an unpredictable process and a forced one even worse.  Sometimes those who underwent such a 'psychic rape' usually took a while to recover.

"Are you okay, Doctor?"

"Yes.  It's simply the after affects of associating with filth.  I'm going to sick bay."

Without a backwards glance they left two fuming telepaths to their own thoughts.

A half an hour later, inside his cell, Bester's mind raced, locked and joined with Thompson's due to her closeness and familiarity.  _They've hurt the Corps. They think they are invincible. They are nothing!  They won't hold us for long.  Relax yourself and observe.  They made a mistake is keeping us here, laughing us while we're locked up, isolated.  We'll make them pay…" _


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**        "Like Scattered Flowers"**

One hour later:

"Captain on the Bridge!"

Captain Sandra Hiroshi and Commander Riker stepped onto the command deck of the _USS Yeager_.  She saluted sharply as Captain Ben Sisko returned the acknowledgement.  She was rather impressed at the overall configuration of the small warship named after the first Human test pilot to break the sound barrier in the year nineteen forty-seven.  The name _Yeager_ was comforting in itself since it confirmed that these transplanted colonials were indeed from Earth even if their engineering did take a radical turn.

The smoothness of the shuttle from the _Ambassador_ to the _Yeager_ was just as amazing.  She still had not gotten used to shuttles with artificial gravity.  Each day seemed like a revelation.

"Welcome to the _Yeager_," Sisko said.  "It's a little cramped when you compare her to the others, but she's a good ship and we intend to do her proud."

In fact the modified _Saber_-class warship was smaller in size than the _White Star_.  Designed as a heavy-duty scout class vessel it supported a crew of ninety-seven as opposed to its normal compliment of one hundred and two, to make room for its modified type VIII-B phaser array and extra photon torpedo tubes.  Maximum speed was warp nine point two for twelve hours.  There were only a few engineering and science labs; the others removed to make room for the extra weaponry.  The _Yeager_ was highly maneuverable and boasted the ability to get out of trouble faster than it could get into it.  

Despite her enthusiasm on being onboard a tiny version of these amazing ships, she was concerned about Commander Riker.  Command should have been offered to him since the man was senior officer of the_ Enterprise_.  He should have been disappointed, but he wasn't.  In fact, William seemed genuinely pleased that Commander-now Captain-Sisko had been offered the _Yeager_.  He had told her that his place was on the _Enterprise_ and during these perilous times it was far more important being first officer than to be in charge of another ship, even if it did mean command.  So agreement with the decision was without reservation.

Captain Hiroshi didn't really believe him at first, but now watching him, she was convinced and therefore content, more or less.  The two of them had become very close in the last few weeks as she recovered from her injuries.  As she recovered in sickbay, he constantly visited her and surprisingly, she had found herself very attracted to William and the two of them were almost inseparable.  If the man wanted to stay on the _Enterprise_, so be it.  Now that she was fully recovered, the woman was itching to get back to work.    

The three of them and the bridge crew consisting of four additional members were transfixed now by the main view-screen.  _Babylon Five_ Command and Control operations were transmitting results of the running battle between the Vorlon fleet and the Shadow raiding party that had been caught completely unawares.   In fact several of the spider-like ships had been blown out of space before they even knew they were under attack.  

Sandra saw Riker smile grimly as the battle continued.  

"Did you notice?" he asked Sisko.

Ben was stroking his beard while nodding.  "Yes.  Either they seem to have a blind spot to their rear or their sensors were tightly focused forward.  The Vorlons were almost on top of them before they even knew they were there.  Their effective weapons' range is less than I thought it would be."

"I noticed," Riker agreed. "We haven't been able to analyze their beam weapons yet.   But we know they aren't some type of laser or phaser.  Very likely it's some type of focused particle beam, very, very powerful.  Their targeting mechanisms seem very good also."

"We're continuing our analysis onboard both ships," Ben said, still looking at the slaughter onscreen.  "Hopefully our shields should offer some protection.  If we can discover the frequency of their weapons, then the shields will be more effective.  But, I'm more concerned with their cloaking abilities." 

That had bothered Sandra also.   Being able to target a Minbari ship was next to impossible unless you were in point blank range.  The ability of your enemy to become invisible at a whim was downright depressing.   "Is it a true cloak or are they actually moving in and out of jump space?"

Ensign Crusher had brought that point up earlier during his work on _Babylon Five _with their scientist onboard.  The Klingons had even done a little study of the problem also.   So far no one had a concrete answer. 

"We're working on a way to allow the phasers and weapons to transition hyperspace to hit their targets.  Initial studies seem positive but were still learning about hyperspace physics."

This brought up another question that Hiroshi knew literally everyone in Starfleet was asking.  "Can you use warp drive in hyperspace?"

"The short answer is 'theoretically yes'," Captain Sisko answered.  "The long answer is-we'll have to test it to see.  Both faster–than-light methods use radically different techniques to achieve their goals.  To keep it simple we'll call it the active-warp drive-verses passive-jump space."

"In order to side-step Einsteinian physics, we literally create a bubble of subspace around our ships using our matter-antimatter distortion nacelles.  But this bubble is only created when we are moving.  We're in essence 'surfing' on waves of subspace distortion.  This form of propulsion allows us to travel FTL without temporal distortions, however the instant we stop, the surrounding field collapses and we're back in normal space.  When traveling inside the warp field, our ships don't approach anywhere the speed of light, but any incremental change in our relative speed is reflected directly by the subspace bubble, which increases our warp speed accordingly."

"Your approach is just the opposite," Ben continued.  "Instead of surrounding yourself in subspace, you penetrate a stable dimension of what you call hyper or jump space.  Hyperspace has specific characteristics of its own, just like normal space but the dimensional physics are different.  It takes less time to travel from point A to point B because the distances are dimensionally shorter.  Unlike us, you can stop movement for as long as you want.  In many ways jump space is a lot closer to normal space than subspace, which requires us to be in motion.  But you have to tear a way in and tear your way back out into normal space.  With our navigational computers we can calculate where we are in relation to normal space.  We should be able to do the same in jump space once the space-relation-dimensional-quantum-calculations are worked out."

"In your case you use stationary beacons otherwise you can get lost and you may not even be able to get out of jump space.  There are eddies and currents…"  

"Now before can we attempt warp travel in jump space we need to study it a little more.  If they, subspace and jump or hyperspace are compatible, then it will open a whole new experience in travel.  Theoretically we could navigate this galaxy in a matter of weeks instead of decades.  Who knows how far this could go."

"William, you could get home," said an excited Hiroshi.

"Possibly," Riker said.

Sandra did not like the way the word 'possibly came out.  _Why did that sound so non-committal?  _That was one of her few pet peeves about the man.  He never said exactly where they had come from.  True, it could be a military secret, after all EarthGov would give their eyeteeth for information about their colony's whereabouts.  Maybe one day he would trust her enough to tell her.  

"The fight's over," William stated.  Onscreen everyone saw the spider vessels attempting to flee.  "The Shadow vessels are making a run for it.  It's a nice victory for the Vorlon fleet.  Everybody should be happy."

"Good for the Vorlons," Ben announced.  "That little victory gives us a little time.  Right now, we are getting ready from her first test run.  After that we can certify her as shipshape.  We're participating in the war games with several of the modified _Thunderbolt_ Star Furies, Captain."

I am aware of that," Sandra said.  "My flight officer Lieutenant Commander Gerald Higgins has been waiting for this seemingly forever.  He'll be leading the modified fighter squadron against your battle group.   I'm looking forward to seeing how they perform."

"Lieutenant Commander Higgins has got to be one of the more somber people I have met in a long time," said Riker.  During their meetings, their conversations had been polite but relatively cool.

"Can you blame him?"  Sandra understood him well enough.  "His family is on Earth.  Clarke is targeting all of our families of siding with _Babylon Five_.  I imagine it's very hard for them right now."  

Commander Riker could see the control Sandra had as she spoke.  _A true_ _Captain_, he thought.  But he also saw the hurt and the gentleness of woman that he was coming to love.  

"The polarized plating should give them a significant defensive advantage," Riker said moving away from that subject and back on the original one.  "And the updated targeting systems should give them a much better stand-off-and-deliver capability."

"Agreed.  Fighter pilots understand the importance of the first strike.  It usually determines who lives and who dies."

"Well, we want our people to live."

"How long before Earth Force finds out about the _Yeager_?" Riker asked changing the subject.

They know about it already," Sandra answered.  "I'll bet every Earth Force electronic satellite and optical observer within three light years is glued to _B5_. They're probably having fits right now."

This should have been a time of joy, a time of dancing, a time of happiness.  And yes, it was for some.  The Shadows had suffered their first major defeat and had run, hiding once again in their dark holes licking their wounds.  In short, the Vorlons had handed their spidery hides to them and by their actions lifted the hopes and prayers of every race that the Shadows had abused.  But the universe has a balance.  It is as restless as the ocean, never still, always moving.  It brought joy to some and to others a wretchedness that tore at the very soul.

Right now, the universe had decided to be malevolent towards Londo, or so one would think.  In truth, the universe did not care about him; its attention was not even pointed in his direction.  But you could not tell him that.  And one could not tell Vir this, either.  How could one be so happy one minute and so devastated the next?  

_Such a waste of flowers_ thought Vir as the bouquet dropped to the cold floor, the pedals scattering everywhere to be stepped on and discarded.  

_-Such a waste of life_.

Vir watched from a slight distance as Londo fell apart before his eyes.  Adira, one of the few people Londo could say that he loved, was dead.  Poisoned, he suspected, as did the Ambassador and the medical team that took her body away.  Her flesh was already cooling, that thing some called the soul long gone to wherever those ephemeral essences traveled to.  He was heartbroken for the man, but he was afraid for him, too.  Londo had many enemies.  The Narns hated him, and representatives of the Royal Centauri Seat of power feared his influence, especially that madman on the throne, Emperor Cartagia.  His once Human friends mistrusted him and even Mr. Morden seemed unhappy with his boss.  Londo had begun to reap what he had so long sowed and like any corrupted harvest those around him were suffering first before the main event.

It was a while before the either of them built up the courage to enter the medical bay where the body was being kept.  While Londo had long since stop crying, Vir discovered that his concern for his friend had turned into worry.  Vir was present with Londo for less than a minute when he was ordered away.  Clearly Londo's grief had begun to turn into rage.  The first hint of danger Vir Cotto noticed was the way he was ordered away.  Rage had turned to darkness and the darkness began with the simple word.

"Go."

"…Yes, I called for you, Mr. Morden," Londo said to the sad-faced agent. "Some time ago I asked you to leave and not bother me again. I no longer wish that." 

"I'm sorry for your loss, Londo," Morden responded with barely suppressed glee. "I am very glad you changed you mind, but I am curious as to why you have had this change of attitude?" He already knew since it was his plan that had worked so perfectly. The poisoning of Adira was his idea, which had been simplicity itself. All he had to do was kill the woman and lay the blame on Refa's doorstep, indirectly of course. After all, Londo was smart enough to understand that his woman was most likely poisoned by his enemy, but slow enough to be manipulate easily. Because of their past dealings Lord Refa was the perfect patsy. His eventual loss would be missed, but sometimes one sacrificed a Rook for a King.

"Those around me, those that I love, they die while my enemies relax in comfort until they are old and decrepit. That is about to change. In order for that change to happen, I need your help."

"I'll do anything I can to help Londo."

"Promise me that you will protect my people and allow no harm come to them." This promise did not extend to Lord Refa he thought bitterly. True, Morden and his associates had promised to protect Lord Refa and they did keep their promises so he would tread carefully before he had Refa butchered like cattle. Besides Cartagia might not like what he had planned for the man who currently held his ear. 

"I promised," Morden sincerely lied. "But will you help us in acquiring the shield technology from the Federation ships?"

_Was this a price of dealing with devils?_ Londo thought.  _So be it._ "I will see what I can do. Perhaps I can secure a tour on their ship. Yes, the other races have in an official capacity."

Morden smiled brightly. If one of his associates accompanied him on that tour that would work out quite well. "That would do nicely. But I thought you liked them?"

"Love has been taken away from, Mr. Morden. Now I must be concerned with the safety of my people. That is my primary concern. For anything else, I say let the universe burn."

Morden could have danced a jig if he had been any happier. He could feel the dark joy of his masters next to him as he indulged himself with an expensive glass of Chablis. The plan had come together without a hitch with everything they had worked for all these years finally coming to fruition. Then there was the bonus of all that alien technology just waiting to be explored and exploited. 

A moment later it came crashing down as a whispered message told him of a Shadow defeat, a defeat made possible by a Vorlon fleet actively destroying a Shadow raiding squad. Those creatures had snuffed out hundreds of shadow-lives with their sneak attack. HOW DARE THEY! Didn't they understand the rules?

Morden was fuming even as the triad raged. All of the were of a single mind. Revenge. The Vorlons had to made to pay-now. But, how? The triad made up its mind quickly. Kosh's life was now at an end. Then the rest of their hated enemy would pay accordingly.

Talking openly to the one called Guinan was a pleasure unforeseen by Kosh. It took his mind off that sense of despair that threatened to overwhelm him. 

"The Q, as you call them, have passed beyond the rim. All but one." He suspected that she knew this and was pleased that his suspicions were confirmed when she nodded. 

"I can guess which one, but I have not been able to contact him."

"He will not come. None of them will. You are here. You will not leave here with his help." 

She slumped slightly. The woman knew full well that that the beings she called the Q would never help, but she tried anyway. They were as far above the Vorlons as the Vorlons were above Humanity and the Minbari, but the Q would not speak to them. At the same time, this woman possessed intelligence enough to point in the general direction to the way home, but she had chosen not too. Why? What was she hiding?

"One day I would love to visit your homeworld, Kosh."

Again the woman had changed the subject with almost impossible ease. Surely she understood that no one visited the homeworld unless specifically invited. 

"Not possible."

"Anything's possible. I mean, look at this place, all the intrigue. I'm surprised that _Babylon Five_ has survived a whole year let alone all this time. It's a miracle-a miracle that has been engineered by Humans. That is their strength. They have the ability to grow despite everything that happens to them. Setbacks don't stop them. Humanity will forge on no matter what. That is a uniqueness all to rare in this universe." 

Kosh did not respond. There was no need to. He and his people had seen it also, even if they had ignored it. Or maybe they considered Humanity as not having of a kind of uniqueness but being more of a wild, unruly group of children rampaging throughout the galaxy without a clue as to what they were doing. The Vorlon people believed in order and Humanity was simply to chaotic let run around un-chaperoned. If that happened then their chances for long-term survival would be nil. Humans were almost completely destroyed during the Earth-Minbari war. They seriously needed the help of someone mature to guide them through these uncertain times. 

"One day. Maybe." This was as much as he dared say. 

But Guinan was no longer listening to him. Her persona had changed. Instantly, he understood. Something was at her door, trying to get in. The stench was unmistakable. Shadows and their boot-servant Morden were trying to get inside for revenge, insane enough to come here to achieve their wicked desires. His automatic defenses kicked in.

Harshly thru his translator: " Get behind me, now!" the Vorlon almost screamed.

Kosh saw Guinan eyes going wide as four intruders slide thru the open door. The Shadows were only interested in him, but Morden would leave no living witnesses behind. It was time to fight for his life.  It was time to die.

Darkness descended.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

****

******_"Shadow Boxing"_**

****

In their excitement and bloodlust, the Shadow triad rushed through the door opening with the sole intent of destroying their hated antagonist, the Vorlon.  The three spidery-like aliens tore at Kosh's environmental suit with their pinchers and personal weaponry, ripping gashes thru re-enforced materials in an effort to get at the winged flesh inside.  True, the Vorlon was composed of energy as well, but that energy was still tied to the flesh and if it was destroyed, the energy called Kosh would dissipate into the ether where it belonged.  And they were not simply fleshling things either.  They too were ascended beings and their natural weapons, their claws, pinchers, and most importantly their minds, were more than sufficient to kill their hated foe.  Cloaking abilities were not required, as it interfered with their effectiveness in manipulating or killing something like the Vorlon.  This was personal.

The second of three slashed thru the suit and was rewarded with hot Vorlon flesh.  But there was a price to be paid as Kosh backhanded the creature, which howled in agony as its forearm was broken in the process.  But the enemy didn't have time to gloat as its partners attacked from both the front and behind. The hurt Shadow creature screamed and re-entered the fray.  Slowly, they were killing the creature that meant their small taste of revenge would soon be accomplished.  The thought made it fight that much harder.

But killing a Vorlon wasn't as easy as it sounded.  The battle was being fought on several levels.  The fight against the flesh was one thing, the fight against the mind another.  Wills contested against one another, each foe shredding precious chunks from their enemy.  There was no mercy and no retreat as the triad slowly overwhelmed their outnumbered foe.  At one point the triad felt Kosh's energy trying to escape, attempting to find another vessel and they joined together to keep it from fleeing.  Still there were traces of that energy trying to slink away, like water going down the drain.  That a portion would escape their wrath really didn't make much a difference because they were winning, in every since of the word.

Morden watched from the doorway, mouth opened in wonder at the battle now taking place.   He hated Vorlons in general but there was a dark joy in seeing this Vorlon killed since it was Kosh who had hurt him some time ago during another confrontation on _B5_.  In every place where the Vorlon suit was torn there was bright light as the creature's energy joined in its fight against his masters.  This was truly a light versus dark battle in every sense of the word he realized.  His masters' natural darkness filled the room striving against the light, a light that was slowly fading.  Soon it would disappear altogether and in that moment he would rejoice.  All of these things he thought about for perhaps a few seconds.  Then he remembered Guinan and moved towards her.  Her death would really be a shame but it could not be helped now.  She had seen too much.  It was time for her to die.  He smiled tightly and moved towards her.  Then he froze, all thoughts of attacking her dying stillborn in his mind.  One of the triad had already decided to move towards her intent on destroying her itself.  It shifted towards her and was promptly slammed into a wall by some unknown force.  He had no weapons with him and any thoughts of attacking her had just now evaporated.  She clearly was not what she seemed.  

"_Enterprise_," she yelled as she tapped that strange insignia.  "Emergency!  Override Standing Order Four.  Two to beam up!"

Morden stood shaking himself out of his daze at the revelation he had just seen.  Then he cursed venomously as he realized that the woman had a communications device.  Security would be here in a few moments and they would be caught.  Full understanding came a moment later, as Kosh, Guinan and to his horror, one of the triad had faded into a sparkle of light which then winked out.

He gritted his teeth even as he screamed his rage against the Federation interlopers.  They had transmat technology just like their enemies and now they had one of his own.  Snarling, he and his two remaining companions ran to the secured area before anyone could discover what had happened.  Time was of the essence now.  They had to get off of _B5_ and save their companion, if possible, before it was too late.    

John woke up yelling Kosh's name.  He had been dreaming of his father, talking to him in fact when he understood that it was in fact Kosh speaking to him with his mind.  

_There was so much he wanted to tell me he had said.  But he couldn't because he was too set in his ways.  Well, that was understandable.  Old people were usually like that so why wouldn't Vorlons be the same way?  But what surprised me was his sensitivity.  I always suspect it but he never actually showed it until now.  What's happened to him?_

He grabbed his comm-link, called for security to immediately get to Kosh's quarters.  The Vorlon Ambassador was in terrible danger.  As he dressed he desperately wished that his friend were still alive.

Standing Order Four: no unauthorized beaming to or from the _Enterprise, Ambassador_ or the _Yeager_ unless it was deemed and emergency by the senior staff.  Guinan was deemed senior staff and therefore if she requested an override Ensign Thomas had no intention of ignoring her order, did not even think twice about it.  

"This is twice in one day," he muttered, remembering the report he had read earlier.  "They way things were going it might be better to reverse the order.  Everybody knows about it anyway."

Security was on its way by the time the materialization sequence had been completed.  The Ensign fell back in shock at what he saw.  Guinan was yelling at him to get out of the room and lying on the pad was… something in an environmental-like suit stretched out as though it were dead.  But what caused Thomas to instinctively draw his phaser was the indistinct black shape with enough legs and arms to satisfy four or five people bearing down on him.  Panicked, he fired, missed and one of the creature's legs stabbed him in the chest.  He never even screamed as the poison coursed thru his system.  His glazed eyes tracked the creature as it ran into the hallway.  From a distance he heard Guinan call for an intruder alert and a medical team.  It would arrive too late to be of help to him he suspected.  As he faded he despaired of dying so far away from home without his family ever knowing the truth.

"Security alert," Guinan had yelled.  "Captain Picard, we have an intruder onboard."

Picard's reaction was immediate.  "Intruder alert!  All personnel remain at your stations.  Do not venture into the halls.  I repeat do not remain the halls."

Tasha's complete concentration was focused on her security console.  She was just finishing her duty shift when this emergency had occurred.  She knew exactly what she was looking for and began scanning the ship for the life form that she'd detected on _B5 _earlier.  It was assumed by her to be cloaked but that didn't matter because she knew the frequency band to track the being.  It showed up on her scanner near Cargo Bay one, hiding behind several large crates.  It wasn't a solid lock but as her hands flew over her computer system it improved by the second.  Nearby were two dismembered crewmembers that had died never knowing where their attacker had come from.

"The creature used some type of energy weapon.  It knows we know it's on the ship and it's trying to terrorize us into letting it go."  

"Agreed," replied an angry Picard.  Terrorist tactics didn't sit well with him. "Lock onto it.  Transport it into a secured brig."

"We're having trouble locking on.  Its shrouding powers are keeping us from getting a solid lock," she said.  "It must have been initially beamed up by surprise.  I can compensate but it will take a few minutes."

Picard had no intentions of waiting.  "Secure the area with force fields and bring in security.  I want their phasers rifles modified to track the creature.  How long will it take to modify the tracking systems?"

"About five minutes.  We can track the exact wavelength."  
  


"Good.  I want it removed from this ship.  Make it so."

"Yes, sir," snapped Tasha.  "Security to the bridge."

The creature was alone, trapped on an alien ship unsure how she had gotten there but very determined to get out.  She wanted to live.  The Shadow could see that its' natural stealth ability had been compromised and now as the Humans and the others closed in, death's touch was within reach.  Transport mechanics was a reality she observed darkly and not just the Klingons, but these Federation creatures possessed the secrets also.  Yes, the experience had been remarkable.  The ability to move from one point to another, converting matter into energy and then reversing the process without error had once been a dream of her people.  Now she too had experienced it, but not quite the way she had hoped to.

Twice the ship had tried to lock onto her physical body but now prepared, her shrouding abilities effectively blocked it.   It was good that these Humankind creatures were as weak as their Earthian cousins.  A simple energy blast from her personal weapon was enough to eliminate those two that were in her way.  But now instead of reaching the docking bay, she had raced into the ship's cargo area.  It could hide her but it was only a matter of time before they would come hunting.  Her personal computer-organic in nature-was already close to shutting down as it strained itself trying to assist in countering the Federation probes attempting to lock onto to her. 

Taking a moment to gather her wits, the Shadow assessed her position.  These aliens had force fields blocking the areas effectively trapping her within this bay.  Their weaponry was unknown but if they were smart they would try to capture rather than kill her.  That would be a mistake.  It would be better for all of them to simply let her go.  The triad member had no compunctions about killing the first Humans that came into the area.  Kosh was still alive on this ship and her partners were on the space station, probably affecting their escape even now.  So for now she would wait and see what these creatures would do.

Her computer yelped, then went silent as it burned out and died.  She would not have long to wait now.  They were outside the door.

Outside, Security officer Tasha Yar and six of her staff waited outside the door.  They were protected with refractive armor, headgear and armed with compression phaser rifles, which, with an exception of two, were set at maximum.  The weapons tracking systems had been specifically calibrated to lock onto the Shadow creature whether it was cloaked or not and right now Security had a good target lock even through the doors.  

"Crenshaw, Peters, Timonna, Krea," Tasha started.  "When the force field goes down, we go in three and two.  Vorak and Miller, you two are on backup."  

Turning to the other five she continued.  "Don't present yourselves as targets, cover each other.  We don't know how much firepower it'll take to bring it down, but be careful.  We don't want to punch a hole in the ship."

"Lieutenant Yar to bridge," she said over her communicator.  "We're in position."

"Acknowledged.  Stand by."

Now they would wait until ordered to go in.

The Shadow froze-as was her nature-when she heard the voice over the intercom system.  Instinctively, she camouflaged herself as much as possible.

"This is Captain Picard to the Shadow creature.  Surrender and no harm will come to you.  If you do not surrender immediately," the Human continued, "we will be compelled to take you by force."

There was something about the determination and confidence in that Picard's voice that left no room for doubt.  He intended to do what he planned.  She was running out of time.

The Shadow alien pulled out her communicator, something the Shadow did not want to do, and made a frantic call.  "Help me," she said.  "They come."

The answer was prompt.  "We come."

Again she cursed the Vorlon animal.  Kosh did not conform to the characteristic traits of his people.  He had made friends and because of that she was trapped.  The only positive thing was that longer the aliens waited the better her chances were.  Her people would force these creatures into freeing her.  Then all of them would die for daring to imprison a being that walked the stars before they discovered a purpose for the wheel.  She just hoped that they would continue to wait.  

Picard was ready to order Lieutenant Yar and her team in when the communications officer interrupted him.  For a second, he had forgotten the name of the young woman looking intently at him.  She was part of the night crew and normally he was not on the bridge at this time.

"What is it?"

"We intercepted a communication from Cargo Bay one."

"What did it say?" he asked as he turned about, giving the officer his full concentration.

"Unknown, Captain.  It didn't conform to anything in our database.  But there was an answer almost immediately."

Picard hesitated a second as he processed the news.  Then he was moving.  Picard grimaced.  Commander Riker was on _Babylon Five_ and he didn't have time to retrieve him.  

"Red alert!  Shields up!" he yelled.  "Inform the _Ambassador_, the _Yeager,_ _Babylon Five _and the Klingonsalso_,_ that we will having visitors shortly."  He could feel it.  They were coming.  "I want maximum readiness.  Prepare for warp maneuvering."

He tapped his comm badge.  "Lieutenant Yar."

"Yes, sir."

"The force field will go down in five seconds.  You are authorized to use any means necessary to subdue the creature."  

"Acknowledged, sir," Tasha responded.

Captain Garrett awoke to the ugly sounds of red alert klaxons.  In an instant she was up, charging towards the bridge, still in her night cloths, hair flying everywhere.  Was it the EAS starting up again?  

"Report," she demanded of the night watch bridge crew.  Right behind her Castillo come rushing onto the bridge.  

"The _Enterprise_ is moving away at half impulse with her shields up.  They have a Shadow alien onboard and believes an attack from at least one of their rescue vessels is imminent."

Rachel understood.  They needed maneuvering room.  

"Shields up," Castillo said.  "And two coffees, now."

She smiled grimly at her First Officer.  _Thank God he remembered to ask for coffee.  This was going to be a long night._

"What's our status?"

"We're at full power.  The _Enterprise_ is moving out one half impulse away from the station.  The _Yeager_ is powering up and moving in a direction opposite of them vectoring to a parallel course."  

_Good_, she thought.  _They're giving him space to maneuver_.

"Plot a course parallel to the_ Enterprise three_ million kilometers distant.  And Mr. Kee," she said turning to the sensors officer.  "Make sure we don't get caught from behind."

Onboard _Babylon Five_ Captain Sheridan had just made it to Command and Control in time to see the _Ambassador_ veer off and disappear at frightening speed.   The sight amazed him but right now he was far more concerned about Kosh.  He could not be sure but Kosh might be dead.

"Get me Picard."

A few seconds later, the Captain was onscreen.  

"What's happening Captain?" Sheridan demanded.

"We have a Shadow on our ship, Captain, along with a seriously wounded Ambassador Kosh.  Evidently there was an attempt on his life and Ambassador Guinan was instrumental in stopping it, however the creature got off a message.  We suspect a rescue vessel shortly.  We do not want _B5_ in the middle of this confrontation."

"Acknowledged, _Enterprise_.  Be careful.  Sheridan out."

Now things were clear.  The Shadows must have meant to kill Kosh and get out before anyone noticed.  But he was in telepathic contact with Kosh when the attack occurred.  They must have been in Guinan's room.   But that meant…

"Close _B5_ off.  No one in or out," he yelled at the lieutenant on watch.  "Have any ships left in the last ten minutes?"

"Yes, sir," came the reply.  "A Centauri shuttle few minutes ago."

"Where are they going?" he snapped.  

"Their destination is Centauri Prime.   They're heading towards the gate the gate now.  They haven't reached it yet."

"Call them back.  Now!"

"They're not responding."

"Get our perimeter ships to stop them, ASAP.  De-activate the gate."

"It's too late, Sir," came the reply.  "They've activated the jumpgate."

John slammed his fist on his console.  

They were too late.

"Be ready."  Tasha clicked her rifles safety off.  Her team did likewise.  "The field will be down in four…three…two…one…"

There was a slight snap as the force field surrounding Cargo Bay one turned off.  The door opened and she and four teammates moved in cautiously.  They spread out slowly as the other two teammates guarded the door.  

Tasha's targeting computer had locked onto an area to the right on the far end of the room.  Several crates and supply boxes had been re-arranged in a defensive boundary.  

"Get to cover," she whispered to her team.  In front of her, she heard unintelligible noises.  "The creature was trying to communicate."

She took a chance.  "Can you understand me?"

She ducked as a beam cut across her direction.   The weapon burned a neat little hole in a metal container she had ducked behind.

"Return fire!"

"Four beams of phased energy converged into the area where the female was hiding.  Her perimeter dissolved in a blur of light as molecules flew away from one another at close to the speed of light.  The creature screamed and shimmered into view.  She targeted Tasha specifically, somehow sensing that the woman was the leader.  Her nearly transparent energy weapon pierced the protective barrier Tasha hid behind.  The Security officer was hit, her vest being her only protection from death's touch.  The dissipated beam burned but did not penetrate.  Still the force of the blow knocked her into the far wall.  Her vest began to burn.

Three beams hit the Shadow and she screamed, the most hideous sound that any of them had ever heard.  It was a sound that tore it's way into the mind. Then it faded.  The creature flashed out of existence leaving a small wisp of vapor as an epitaph.

Instantly her teammates were next to her stripping of the still burning flak jacket.  She hit her c-badge.  "Captain.  The creature is dead."

"Were there any causalities?"

"No, sir. I got slightly fried but I'm not seriously injured," said Tasha as she winced slightly."

"Get to sickbay now," he commanded.  Then he added:  "That's an order, Lieutenant."

Picard sighed.  He had not wanted to kill the being but neither would he allow any more of his people to be sacrificed either.  It was a waste but he had other worries now.  

His ship was moving quickly now.  His fears had been confirmed as a dark, reflective, spider-like shape materialized thirty thousand kilometers behind his ship.  As the main viewer tracked the vessel, they heard what could only be described as a psychic scream as it rushed to avenge its companion's murder.  The ship did not conform to anything the far majority of the Federation officers and crew had ever seen before.  It looked organic in nature, like a black shimmering spider with outstretched arms.  It gained rapidly, matching the _Enterprise's_ speed in normal space.   

"Full impulse, Mr. Kadar."

"Full impulse, Aye. Captain."

"Shields to maximum," he murmured.  "Maintain speed and course.  Let's see how fast it can go."  

The shadow vessel increased speed catching up to the fleeing starship.   But the _Enterprise_ was making it work for it.  The rear view screen the entire bridge crew watched the horror slowly gaining on them.  For the life of them they understood that it was organic in construction, but the way it moved suggested that it was in some sense truly alive.  Picard ordered the_ Enterprise _to point six warp speed.  The ship increased speed noticeably.  The Shadowcraft strained to keep up.

"Mr. Data," Picard asked.  "What can you tell me about that ship?"

"It is-fascinating."

"Yes, Mr. Data," he conceded.  "But that is not what I asked."  The Captain resisted the urge to sigh.  Sometimes Data could be so literal.  And exasperating. 

"I know, sir," Data responded.  "But I simply needed a moment to prepare a response in such a way that you would understand."

He did not need this.  "When you are ready, Mr. Data.  Please hurry."

"I am ready now, sir."

"Proceed."

"Yes, sir."  

"The Shadow vessel is indeed alive in the since that we understand the definition of life.  An analysis of sensor data seems to suggest that it possesses many of the attributes of a biological entity.  That is not to say that that it is intelligent.  But this biological organism has been designed and grown for interstellar travel.  It appears not to have warp capability, however it does utilize hyperspace in a manner we have not seen before."

"Can we kill it?"

"All biological organisms die, Captain.  Whether or not or phasers are sufficient to kill it is unknown at this time.  It has no shielding but its membrane is extremely tough.  We will not know unless we try, Sir."

"Captain."  It was Tactical Officer speaking.  "Our pursuer just disappeared."

It must have cloaked Picard assumed.


	16. Chapter 16

**              Chapter Sixteen     **

**"Of Spiders and Starships"**

Captain Sisko frowned as he drank the last of his coffee.  Oh-three hundred hours was not a decent enough time to go to war, but then no time every really was.  The Shadow vessel they were shadowing had cloaked itself.  It was possible that it had given up, but he didn't believe that for a second.  

"We're receiving a hail," the Comms officer said.

"Onscreen."

A moment later:  "So Captain, how does it feel to be on your first mission?"  It was Garrett smiling at him onscreen.  "I see you have your coffee."  

"Extra strong," he admitted.  He found that he could not keep that knowing off his face either.  But the smile was only half-hearted as the memories came flooding back into his mind.   It all seemed so real! 

Before red alert, he had been asleep and dreaming.  In his dreams someone had called to him and when he turned to see who it could be, he discovered that it was his wife Jennifer.  She was telling him to come back and his heart soared at the sight of her once more.  She had that same radiance that he remembered when he had seen her for the very first time.  She was the one woman that had made him forget the pain of the war.  His beloved was the one who had made his life complete.  When she died and his son Jake had died, he discovered several months later, to his horror, that he could not quite remember her face any more.  He had her holo-photos, her vid-letters, their wedding images, everything that he could keep with his personal belongings, but at night-

-At night when he closed his eyes, he could never quite remember her.  It was as though his brain was beginning to close off those regions that contained her images, her voice, and her scent, everything that she was, because of the pain. 

But the woman in his dream, the Jennifer that he loved, was different.  This Jennifer's body movement, her voice, everything that made her unique, was not there any more.  He did not know any other way to put it.  She kept calling him 'The Sisko'.  _Come home_ she had said.  _You are 'The Sisko'.  You are incomplete.  You must become complete.  You are far from home.  'The Sisko' must return.  The barrier closes.  The barrier closes.  'The Sisko' must return.  You are 'The Emissary'._

She faded from his vision and he had awoken in a sweat.  The dream was so real!  It was as though she was calling him.  Now, as the aftereffects of the dream finally faded, he could still feel the pulling, the calling of Jennifer Sisko.

"Our sensors picked up a spike just before that ship or whatever the thing is, cloaked," Rachel said.

"We noticed it also," he said being pulled back into the present.  "It didn't seem like a standard cloak."

"Agreed." Garrett turned away for a moment listening to a report.  "I suspect we're going to be out here for a while," Rachel announced, her attention again focused on the new Captain.  "Stay on your toes.  I don't want it to catch us napping."

_Words for the novice Captain to live by_, thought Sisko.  _Words to live by_.  "Yes, Ma'am."  If the Captains felt like babysitting him until he was comfortable in the big chair, especially in their current situation, he wasn't about to complain.

On screen he could see the _Enterprise_ still undergoing evasive maneuvers, an obvious indication that Picard didn't believe for a moment that he had shaken his pursuer.  The starship's actions continued for another five minutes until the _Yeager's_ sensors lit up.  A jump point, invisible to the naked eye, appeared a five thousand kilometers to the portside of the _Enterprise_ before they could react.  The shadow combat vessel literally screamed, firing it main gun, which impacted violently on the Federation ship's shields.  Even from this distance he could see the ship shudder from the vicious blow as its shields glowed like a nova dissipating the heat had energy from the blast.  The _Enterprise-D_ returned fire with its phasers, hitting the Shadow vessel which itself trembled from the impact.  Apparently, the spider-like vessel possessed no shields to speak of, but its armor was another matter entirely.

"Chief O'Brien, engineering's in your hands now.  Mr. Carter," Sisko said quickly.  "Warp two.  Engage."

The _Saber_-class ship jumped to warp, weapons hot eager to relieve the pressure from its big sister's tormentor.     

Rare was the occasion that Captain Picard and the crew of the _Enterprise-D_ had been caught unawares.  However that was exactly what happened when the Shadow cruiser executed a micro-jump instead of simply cloaking itself and landed in front of the starship.  Those that controlled the Shadow vessel had felt their companion die and their purpose was clear.  They wanted revenge, pure and simple.  Plus there was the added incentive to explain to these interlopers that no member of their race could be killed without the severest of consequences.  The lesson had to be clear and to the point.  

The Shadow beam that was emitted from the living vessel attempted to perform the classic lets-slice-that-ship-in-half attack, cutting across the Federation ship's main hull intended to cleave the ship in half.  Conduits blew in just about every deck inside the saucer section and the ship had shook violently from the attack.  

"Phasers, fire!" yelled Picard.  And he watched as phasers burned into the Shadow vessel scoring its hull with deep, red lacerations.  "Evasive pattern Sigma!"

The _Enterprise_ rotated on its Y-axis and increased to full impulse with the shadow vessel in cautious pursuit.  The Shadow fired again, missed and rotated violently as phasers tried to reach out and touch it once more.  Obviously, it had not expected such fierce resistance and was now readjusting its attack strategy.  It vomited a large number of small attack craft, each resembling a large black tick, to assist in the attack and its defense.  Then it proceeded again to strike out at the _Enterprise_.

"Sir, shields are down by fifty percent."

"Ignore the smaller ships," Picard yelled over the increasing din.  "Concentrate you fire on the main vessel!"

Once again the _Enterprise_ shuddered and once more she lashed out at her attacker.  This time, the phaser connected with the Shadow vessel and a small portion of its extension was phased into non-existence.  But the Federation vessel's shields were almost gone.

Inside the brig, Bester and his companion were once more bounced violently around inside their cells.  It took him a few moments to understand that they were under attack and a few more to identify the attacker.  The ship-wide comm system had informed them of an intruder alert and Picard's announcement of a Shadow creature had made his heart dance a jig-for an instant.  Then his heart skipped a full beat, as he understood that the Feds were hunting it down.  If they killed the creature then they would certainly be targeted for destruction.  Didn't they understand the danger? 

Obviously they hadn't.  And now they were paying the price.  The two of them shared a mutual thought of forlornness.  Those ships were too powerful to confront head on.  After the first strike, Bester was thrilled that he wasn't being burned alive or floating in vacuum.  Then the ship rocked again, but again he still lived.  As difficult as he found it to be, he acknowledged to himself a grudging respect of the power of the _Enterprise_.  Psi-Corps would spend years dissecting it once they got a hold of it.

Despite the fear of impending death, the attack gave him and Jackie a significant advantage.  None of the Federation telepaths were focused on them and now he could passively allow the thoughts of the crew to come to him without arousing the ire of the Betazoids or the alien Vulcans.  Most interesting was what he had come to understand was the engineering section.  The phrases they used were intriguing and incredibly exasperating.  Warp coils, trionic initiators, inertial dampers, matter-antimatter containment, most of the words were lost to him but one thing stuck in his mind.  

"The shield frequency harmonic is eight-seven-two-one-three-six-seven," he repeated to himself and to Jackie.  That was clearly of utmost importance on one of the minds of the engineering staff.  He kept blasting that thought into the nether sphere.  "_That is their weakness_," he sent to her.  _Thank God for mundanes_ he thought even while he cursed their Betazoid watchdogs.

Bester understood that even though he was one of the top echelon members of Psi-Corps, he was ultimately expendable.  It was something to be expected.  They all were.  The plan was everything and they were simply players in the game.  But the second those carefully laid plans were exposed he became non-expendable.  Now, he and Jackie were the only ones in a position to stop this oncoming catastrophe.  If they couldn't everything they worked for a generation would be lost.

_They thought I couldn't do anything trapped here.  But the longer they keep me locked up, the more I learn._  He still seethed each time he remembered how they treated him.  They considered him less than dirt.  That little fact was the one thing that he was able to glean from Picard's mind.  He was in some ways worse than Sheridan.  The man was shear arrogance!  _They thought that I was no longer a threat.  I'll show them_.  _Free me Picard and I will ruin you_…p_rovided we're not killed in the next few moments_, he thought nervously as the ship rocked once more.

The Shadow Commander was rudely surprised as the USS _Ambassador_ and _Yeager _warped into the middle of the firefight in a classic pincher movement, catching the unprepared Shadow vessel with the full fury of their phasers.  The _Ambassador_ drilled deep into the armored skin while the _Yeager_ proceeded to engage the smaller, extremely hostile support vessels.  Analysis from the ship's sensors indicated that the Federation ships were using some sort of phased energy against them, literally causing molecular structures touched by the beams to phase out of synch, therefore causing molecules to fly away from one another.  It was not quite as efficient as their LASED-particle beam, but it was nothing to sneer at either.  And there was no need for a long exposure to the beam to be lethal.

The surprise attack, the classical technique of Shadow tactics, was accomplished with perfection.  But that attack failed to kill the Federation ship responsible for killing one of their people with the first strike, something almost unheard of.  Then it returned fire and the ship could not evade being hit in time.  There was pain.  Twice the alien ship had hit the Mother, making her scream.  She was wounded and her Human telepathic control computer writhed in pain as he fought to maintain and repair damaged systems.  For a moment, the Shadow Captain feared that the Human would burn out, so a replacement was brought up just in case.  So far, they were just holding their own against this diabolically evil ship when abruptly two more of its kind arrived adding their weapons in the battle.  Mother returned fire with everything she had at the second largest ship and fumed is it too survived it attack.  It was those accursed shields keeping them alive when they should have died seconds ago.  Ship's scans revealed a lowering of the primary Human vessel's shield power rating by almost half, but that was not yet enough to kill it.  The strangely designed ship was fast, its phased stinger reeked of danger and now it had support as well.  Their fighter support was checked by the smaller Federation ship cutting through the defense screen like a scythe while avoiding death by its speed and again by those hated shields.  The smaller ship identified as the _Yeager _used independent multiple weapons to kill the smaller fighters that were now on the defensive.  

Being far too busy to help the smaller ships out, Mother once again concentrated on the two larger warships and again scored on its primary target, causing it to quiver violently.  Mother's weapon had scored flesh this time and there was a great gash on the ugly, white primary hull.  Then there was something new.  Its companion, the smaller one, fired some type of terrible, fast moving, antimatter missiles at it, barely missing a now rapidly evading Mother.  She succeeded in avoiding the torpedoes but in the process turned right into the larger ones' beam weapon.  It slashed her deeply with its phased weaponry and Mother began to bleed.  Accepted Shadow tactics centered on the rule of first strike and it was rare to have a prolonged fight on even terms with another vessel.  Here the element of surprise had been lost.  The crew onboard Mother didn't like it by any stretch of their considerable imaginations.  By now, several crew-beings had already died and many were wounded. One to one was a battle; here, two to one would lead to defeat and death.  If they were to survive then it was time to disengage and run for it.  Once locked onto a target a Shadow vessel never, ever ran.  But in this case…

They would come back later with larger mothers and finish this with superiority of numbers if necessary.  It created a jump-point and she and her support ships escaped, leaving the partially damaged Federation enemy ship and its own dead and dying shipmates in their wake.  

Inside the main medical bay onboard the _Enterprise-D_, Drs. Crusher, Franklin, and Selar along with the rest of the medical staff were busy treating almost two score number of patients whose injuries ranged from critical injuries to broken bones, abrasions, and minor radiation burns. The loss of seventeen crewmembers had been a terrible blow to them all. Even prepared, the onslaught of the Shadow vessel had caught them by surprise and most of the major injuries and loss of life had occurred during that first attack. The shields had held barely and Beverly's heart plummeted at the thought of a one-to-one battle against such a powerful foe. But at the same time she had faith in Captain Picard, if anyone could have saved the ship and come out of this battle in one piece it would have been him. However she was glad that they had had help.  
  


It was good to be again working with Dr. Selar, now chief Medical officer of the _Ambassador_, once more she thought. And watching Stephen's professionalism and growing familiarity with her ship's equipment made her more comfortable as she let him have more free reign in treating her patients. He was still not well and both Chief Med officers watched-from he corners of their eyes- their Chief Medical colleague. This was exactly the type of stress they did not want him to encounter so soon, but at the same time he was going to have to deal with that pressure. And then he was going to have to learn how to quit and leave that tension behind. Therefore, this was a spur of the moment test to determine how far he had come even if it were less than a two days. Physical treatment was easy but the mind controlled the body.  That control needed to be re-established quickly.  Besides, they needed someone who was familiar with Kosh's bio system and anatomy.  
      

Despite their hopes, they had soon discovered that he didn't have a clue about Kosh's anatomy. There were records, true but the data had been sealed and removed to Earth along with the original doctor who worked on Kosh to save his life from the poison that he had been injected with during that assassination attempt. The data was under tight security and they all had no doubt that EarthGov would not hand over those documents.   
  


Now Beverly had the horrible job of detailing the deaths of so many fellow crewmembers to the Captain. It was a dreadful duty, one that she hated performing especially since it had become her close friend. Informing the Captain of losses in battle was horrible and the only job that she could imagine was worse was Captain Picard's duty. Letter writing, informing family and friends that a loved one was dead was bad enough. Composing a multitude of letters to those who may never receive them seemed somehow futile. Crusher was a doctor. She understood how he must feel.   


"Dr. Crusher to the bridge…"  
  
  


Captain Picard glowered over the latest reports on the condition of his ship. A five-minute running battle had severely damaged it and his only satisfaction was that he had equally damaged the enemy. It retreated into hyperspace, trailing what for the life of him, looked like blood.  A piece of the ship had been tractored in for further study.  
  


He looked even grimmer as he reviewed the damage reports. The EPS conduits all over the ship had blown out. Over half the deflector and defense shield generators had burned out. The outer hull was discovered to have at least seventy micro-fractures that required immediate attention.  There had been a secondary coolant leak and the enemy beam had actually scored the ship's outer hull. Defensive shields were stable at thirty-five percent and Lieutenant LaForge was strongly suggesting that they travel no faster than warp one-point-five back to _Babylon Five_ while the damage could be accessed and repaired.  As they turned towards home, the _White Star_ and several Minbari heavy warships along with a full detachment of the new updated and as yet untried Star Furies emerged from a Minbari pinpoint jump in hyperspace and now escorted them.  Everyone felt relieved.  Even the _K'mpec's Honor_ cruised the immediate area-cloaked of course.

With everything secured, Picard rushed to the medical bay.  Before he checked Kosh, he saw to it that he made his presence known to those who had been injured during the fight.  Like it or not he was being seen as somewhat of a father figure.  Quickly, an ugly image flirted passed his mind.  Did that mean that Garret was 'the mother'?

Growl.

The room where Kosh had been interned was surrounded by a force field complete with it's own environmental conditions as specified by Dr. Franklin.  Inside were both Drs. Crusher and Franklin working on Kosh.  Next to them stood Guinan.  He was surprised that she was there but and he was astounded by the two radically different reactions the doctors were showing their patient.  For some reason, Beverly was disturbed.  Every time she looked at Kosh's body, she gave the impression that she wanted to throw up.  But what was even more interesting was that Stephen seemed to look at Kosh as though he was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.  How could their reactions be so radically different?  Dr. Crusher was a professional, one who had treated hundreds of patients of various species and never had he saw this reaction from her.  What exactly was she seeing at this moment?  And what was Franklin seeing?

Beverly suspected beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this was the most disgusting alien she had ever seen.  Moments ago, Stephen had told her about the genetic experimentation done on this Earth and the other surrounding inhabited worlds by the Vorlons.  To them, these creatures for the most part appeared beautiful because that's how they had manipulated Humans to see them.  But to Beverly, Kosh was butt ugly; nevertheless, his appearance wouldn't stop her from treating him.  The only question was how to do so?

"You don't have _any_ medical records on his species?" an exasperated Crusher asked an equally frustrated Franklin.

"Vorlons are a secretive people," he explained.  "We know almost nothing about them.  For example, do they even require these protective suits or are they just for show?  And what about the atmospheric conditions?  Is it for them, or simply to keep us from discovering their true nature as a whole?"

"I suspect the gases are native to his home world," Beverly said checking her medical scanner once more.  "The problem is that I have no equivalent database that can even remotely be compared to the physiology that we're looking at right now.  The scanner isn't even sure if he's really carbon-based.  Unless the other Vorlons come to treat him, the only thing that we can do is to monitor him and hope that his regenerative powers can restore him.  Do you have any other suggestions?"

"No," answered Stephen after moment.  "I believe that what we believed are poisons inflicted by his attackers,have been neutralized."

Dr. Crusher shook her head in agreement.  Ensign Thomas, the first Human to be attacked by the alien had died from exposure to at least three poisons designed to paralyze and destroy the nervous system.  The med tech team got there too late to save him, but the cause of death was definitely determined to be toxin injected into his lungs.  The fast-acting venoms were fairly easy to counter and an antidote was synthesized quickly, but not quickly enough for Thomas.

Next to them Guinan said nothing.  The doctor's initial assessment of his condition were correct.  There was nothing that they could do.  Nature would take its course one-way or the other.  But there was something else happening here also.  There had been a fundamental change in this universe.  She could feel it.  Kosh had been right she mused.  Not only would his circle would be closed, but also it would be distorted beyond recognition.  Some small part of her believed that Kosh's death would have served a grand purpose, but now he would live-she had no doubt about that.  There was no way that she would stand by and watch him be torn apart.  Change?  So be it.

Outside of the containment area Picard tensed.  "Doctors, will the Ambassador survive?"

Beverly and Stephen looked at one another before answering.

"We think so."

"Good.  We will be returning to _Babylon Five_ in an hour," a satisfied Picard said as he turned and walked out of the medical bay.  There were a lot of things he had to attend to, including dealing with two prisoners.  Already, he had decided as to what he would do with them.

Three days later, security was heightened to a level that hadn't occurred since Earth Force had tried to take over _B5_.  The station was beginning to get small numbers of refugees from the fringes near Vorlon space.  Something was going on in that sector of space and as per usual no one had a clue as to what that was, however the surrounding edges of their territories were in a turmoil about something.  There were rumors of fighting occurring in their space but no one knew for sure except Kosh and he wasn't talking.  

But the Vorlons had not sent a doctor or even requested that Kosh return to the home world for treatment.  Only Lyta had returned with several treatment kits for Kosh that she delivered personally to Dr. Franklin onboard the _Enterprise_.  Although the Earth telepath had met Dr. Troi some time earlier, she was unprepared for the number and types of telepaths onboard the Federation starship.  Lyta was considered by many as a renegade telepath, outside the reach of Psi-Corps, protected by the Vorlons and the leaders of _Babylon Five_.  

Her time in Ten-Forward was a revelation.  She would spend as much time as possible, simply luxuriating in the overall freedom and several times she openly remarked about her astonishment that Humans and telepaths could interact so completely with one another without fear or suspicion.  

And it was quickly discovered by the Betazoids that she had been somehow artificially modified and was far stronger than even she knew.  For her part, she was amazed that line of sight wasn't necessary for Betazoids and that they didn't need to concentrate to read others.  Only a few of them could project in such a way to inflict pleasure or pain to another, but those who could were supremely dangerous.  Their telepathy worked on an entirely different principle than what she was use to.   Moreover, establishing a psychic connection was harder than she'd assumed.  She had to touch them to get a cognitive reflection from them whereas with the Betazoids she had no need for direct contact unless they chose to.  

Then, Vulcan telepathic traits worked differently from everyone else's.   No matter how hard she tried, the Vulcan minds slipped through her thoughts. They had a type of direct blending, a 'my thoughts to your thoughts' thing going on.  They had a phrase for those differences.  It was _infinite diversity in infinite combinations.  _Personally she loved it.  And best of all, she loved seeing Bester imprisoned, sweating it out as Picard prepared to meet out justice. 

What she didn't love was the way Kosh refused to answer any of her questions.  He was healing-slowly but he had become very secretive even for a Vorlon.   Since the attack, he refused to talk to anyone-except Sheridan and Guinan.  She had the Vorlon's ear, so to speak and that woman never revealed anything beyond an occasional scowl or a smile. Further, she was one of the few people that she could not even begin to read.  Lyta couldn't tell if she were being blocked or that her probes were somehow being reflected.  However, like the Vulcans the only way she would have to get to know Guinan would by talking to her, a novel experience.  Lyta determined to ask if she could stay, maybe even become a part of the crew if she decided to finish her internship with Kosh.  _Who knows_ she thought.  _He might_ _even let me leave._  It all depended on the coming war of light versus dark.

The next day, Captain Sisko and Captain Garrett were having their daily, morning talk on the _Ambassador's_ version of 'Ten-Forward.'  

"A penny for your thoughts, " Rachel said.  That was her usual greetings in the last three days when they were together in the mornings.

"Exactly what does that mean?"  Intellectually he knew but in his time there was no solid point of reference for that phrase.

"It means I want to know what's going on, on that bald head of yours, dear Captain."  She laughed at the impertinent look he bestowed on her.  Actually, it looked quite impressive with the goatee.  Idyll she smiled when she remembered how Picard reacted when Ben had shaved his head.  

_Why did he have to do that_? He had said that to her later when the two of them met for dinner.  She responded by saying that Sisko did it because he could and it could always grow back if he wanted it to.  Why did _she_ have to say _that_?  Picard had scowled and she laughed.  

Now he wasn't speaking to her.  Oh, he said he was busy but she knew the truth.  Again she smiled.  He was so sensitive with the little stuff!  He even got angry when she had casually called French an archaic language that should have ceased to exist by now.  
  


"It is not a dead language and I thank you not to say that again!"  

_So touchy_!  She rather liked tormenting the old, stiff-upper lip, Captain of the _Enterprise-D, _especially since he kept insulting her music.  How dare he!  Listening to Grover Washington Junior's classics like _Winelight _on the bridge was far superior than listening to Giordano's _Fedora_ _Amor Ti Vieta_.  Talk about music to fall into unconsciousness by!  And if she felt like gyrating-his phrase- on her bridge or wherever, IT WAS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS!  Besides she'd caught him bobbing-you wouldn't call _that_ dancing!  It was more like, I can actually move, see! -once or twice himself.   She was rubbing off on him and he hadn't noticed it yet.   It took everything she had not to-

"Rachel?"

She shook herself.  "Sorry."

"You looked lost for a second," Ben remarked.

"Just remembering something," she answered casually coming back to the conversation.  

"I just liked the idea of actually having currency.  You don't have any and that strikes me as insane.  You people actually trust your bankers to handle everything?"

"Computer banking has taken much of the difficulty away from maintaining a stable economy," he said blandly.  Computerized banking was nice but if you lost it all by some type of error or more importantly larceny, the trail could be covered up and you would never really know what happened or how badly you got burned.

"But I was thinking of the mission.  Sheridan sure liked its content.  I really like Captain Picard's little speech to President Clarke.  I am sure that it will be guaranteed to stir up a hornet's nest of trouble."

"He needs a little grief."  President Clarke's personal little propaganda network, ISN, commented daily on the horrors of the Federation occupied territories.  The reporters implied that the Federation was a cultural, barbaric wasteland whose people indulged in debasement, conquest and slavery.  They talked about the Betazoid slave labour camps and the ruthlessness of the Starfleet war machine.  By all indications Starfleet was poised along with Sheridan and his alien influencers to sweep across the sectors, destroying everything in their paths.  And those ten _White Star_ frigates didn't help matters either.  Crews had yet to be fully trained but their simple presence gave comfort to some and consternation to others and even more for ISN to rant and rave about.

The half- truths, subjective reporting and outright lies were ludicrous and even the Klingons were impressed by what was said.  It appeared that Humans did indeed lie well.  However to those on _B5_ it was also sobering because there were those who would believe the lies.  Already there were doubts being expressed by some.

"But we don't want to lose you either.  So be careful."

"I will.  The _Yeager'_s a tough little ship."

"With _small_ and _one_ being the operating words here.  No heroics."

"Captain, I have no intentions of performing any heroics.   In and out, that's it."


	17. Chapter 17

**            Chapter Seventeen**

**"Warmonger"**

What to do with the Psi-Cops?  Here was Sheridan's suggestion which still made Captain Sisko chuckle.   "Send them home naked with a note pinned on their butts saying that they promised never to do it again," How Sheridan had raged, when he heard what Bester and Janice had attempted to do.   If the Captains had wanted to execute the two of them, Captain Sheridan he wouldn't have lost that much sleep over it, even if he did feel uncomfortable with the death penalty.  Locking them away would be a waste of good resources on _B5_ or the _Enterprise_.  But to damage Psi-Corps reputation seemed like the ideal solution and the Starfleet Captains readily agreed.

Captain Sisko's mission was a simple one.  He was to use the _Yeager_ to transport the two prisoners to earth on their now disabled transport and transmit a message.  If Sisko performed his assignment correctly, then the relationship of Earth Gov and Psi-Corps would never be the same again.  That itself was worth a little mercy.

"We'll leave in four hours."

"Good."  

"Personally, I believe we should maroon them somewhere, for a few years."

"That's rather cruel, don't you think?"

It was unfortunate, he thought that the drugs was unsuitable for the two prisoners.  They were trained telepaths, highly resistant to most forms of coercion or drug treatments.  Besides his telepaths seriously frowned upon drug treatment to strip that ability away.  To them it was equal to extracting a person's eyes.  "It's better than having them executed, which was my personal choice."  

Rachel looked at him shocked by the casualness in which he had just spoken about taking a life.  "You can't mean that." 

"Yes, I do.  I can't speak for him, but I believe that Captain Picard does also.  We're in wartime conditions and we don't have the resources to simply lock up everybody.  The attack on Deanna, Data, Susan and B'Elanna wasn't just simply a random crime.  It was an purposely intended act of cold-blooded murder in order to keep their secrets, military secrets I might add, intact.  That falls under military jurisdiction in wartime status.  And we are at war, Captain."

"I know what our status is Captain Sisko," the female officer snapped.  "But there are other ways to deal with them instead of capital punishment.  That was one of the main charters of the Federation.  It never condoned the execution of a sentient being, no matter what the crime.  It's the mark of a civilized society to deal with our criminal element in a h_umane_ manner, not by taking their lives.  If we execute our criminals we become no better than they are."

Sisko stared at her for a moment.  Then he began laughing.  "We become no better than they are," he repeated to a very irate Captain.  His tone wasn't friendly in the least.  "That argument has been repeated forever.  No one wants to die whether it's the victim or those that have been caught.  But that argument against the death penalty is under the assumption that death is the final end of everything.  I do not believe that it is, as we all must experience it one day.  You are wrong," he said.  "There is a difference.  Not executing their criminal element does not make a society more civilized.  It's taking the responsibility to properly deal with those elements that makes one civilized."

"How can you believe that?"  Her voice had raised a couple of notches.  "We have to find some better way to deal with criminals and killing them isn't the answer."

"It's a matter of perspective, Captain.  If we had followed your point of view to its logical conclusion, we would have surrendered to the Klingons without a fight."

"Defensive actions are not the same as capital punishment."

"Defense as in attacking four Romulan warbirds?"  Her eyes were glaring daggers now he noted, but he was not about to relent.  "They were attacking that Klingon colony but you physically attacked the Romulans first."

They were destroying the colony and we had to stop them."  These were the opening salvos of what would be a long, long conversation she realized.

"Even if they were killed in the process?  You do understand my point." 

"There's a line in society that must be drawn.  We're responsible for improving the state of mankind and we must find a better way to deal with this subject.   And before you continue I freely admit that we have not discovered that solution yet."

"You're correct.  We haven't," he said.   "Think about this.  ISN has labeled us murderers.  The _Lenmark_, the _Pournelle_ and the others were damaged or destroyed by our actions.  You gave the orders and I pressed the button.   Maybe we were defending ourselves but we took those lives."  

"It should be used with the greatest of care," Sisko continued relenting just a little.  "But personally, I have no problem implementing the death penalty to eliminate a sentient that acts like a diseased animal.  Neither does Captain Picard, nor Deanna, nor Riker.  We have learned that there are certain times we don't dare extend mercy, because those we have dealt with don't understand the meaning of the word.  Do Klingons fear death?  The answer is yes.  Do they extend mercy?  Ask the billions killed on Betazoid, the outer colonies, and a dozen other worlds over the last twenty years.  Mercy is not for the weak, Captain.  It is for the strong who then have a responsibility to extend mercy, otherwise it will not exist." 

Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing.  This was another example of the differences between the Starfleet she knew and this altered futuristic copy of what she remembered and loved.  Again the war had altered them in ways she had trouble understanding.  It was true, she tried to minimize the injury to the crew of the ships she fired on.  Unlike Picard, she directed her fire on the engines and weapons systems.  Her counterpart had done no such thing.  He had been efficient, brutal and thorough.  

But as she continued thinking about it, she sighed.  Her response had been just as brutal if not more so when she had been ambushed by the four _Omegas_ and that realization hurt her.  All this time, she had been trying to change the attitudes of these people she had come to love.  But just maybe _she_ was the one who was being changed.  And if that were true, just what were they becoming?  Rachel thought that she was winning this battle, but maybe it was the other way around.  She'd have to think hard about it.  Not yet, but soon.

Now Rachel changed the conversation to something far more personal.  "Are you still having them?"

"Yes," he admitted submitting to the changeover.  "Sometimes they are stronger, so strong I thought I might lose myself."

"They're dreams, Ben," Rachel said.  "They're most likely repressed memories of Jennifer and Jake.  It hasn't been that long, you know."

"I couldn't even remember their faces anymore.  Now they come to me in dreams saying that I am 'the Sisko'.  I am beginning to believe that they are not dreams…"

"I don't understand."  She hated seeing him like this.  She liked the resilient, competent, I-can-handle-anything persona that exuded from him.  

"I think they or more precisely some thing is calling me.  Even Deanna is beginning to agree with me."

"Then what do the dreams say, if I may be so bold?" 

"They say I am incomplete and that I am the Emissary.  I must come."  He looked at her.  "Something is calling me."

"Come where?" she asked although she knew the answer.  
  


"Home."  He knew how insane that sounded.  "I mean to our home universe."

"Then you believe that this is some sort of telepathic summons?  By who and for what reason?"

"I have no idea," Ben confessed.  "But there is an urgency the message, as though the window of opportunity is closing."

"Then maybe we should investigate this further."

"He thought about it for a moment.  "Maybe." 

"I'm sorry-more or less," she added, "about our differences on capital punishment, but I think you're wrong."

"There's nothing to apologize about," he said.  "We have to be able to freely express ourselves to our friends.  It does not mean we have to agree with everything.  And we don't have to stab each other like the Klingons.  I'm just glad we're able to talk and keep the lines of communication between us open."

"So am I."

Captain John Sheridan walked into the _Enterprise_ brig and immediately began smiling when he saw Bester pacing back and forth in his cell.  Plainly he wasn't aware that he was being observed. 

Picard ordered the opaque field turned off and they watched as the prisoner stopped in mid-stride.  Spying Sheridan and Picard, he turned icy.

"I see you finally decided to grace us with your presence, Captain.  Have you come to gloat?"

"I'm not here to gloat," Sheridan said all the while smiling at him.  "Although I must admit that you do look rather natural in that cell.  And the clothes are a nice touch."

For a moment there was absolute silence as Bester gathered himself.  "Sheridan, I came to _Babylon Five_ to share some information on the Shadows.  But as you can see I got sidetracked.  But I still have the information which I think that you would be most interested in."

Intrigued, Sheridan probed.  "What could be so important that you would violate Earth Gov's quarantine to get to us?"

Bester laughed.  "No, no.  Not until I get out of this cell."

I'm not interested," Sheridan said.  "You see it's out of my hands.   More so than you know."

Picard stepped in front of the field, dominating Bester's field of view.  "You and Jackie will be released," Picard said.  "You both will be placed on your shuttle and returned to Earth.  I'm sending a message to your government." 

The way he said it sent a chill down Bester's spine.  

"You can keep the clothes.  It is my belief that old-fashioned stripes suit both of you.  Now get off my ship," Picard snapped.  Energize."

The two surprised prisoners were transported to their shuttle stationed next to the_ Yeager_.  Once onboard the freed Psi-Cops were weary, then terrified as they stood before what appeared to be a firing squad.  Captain Sisko sneered at them, shook his head, and then fired.

John listened intently as Sisko confirmed that the package was ready for shipment.

"How long will they be out?"

"Heavy stun will lasts for about five hours and I am sure that their headaches will be memorable. The _Yeager_ will tractor them to the edge of Earth and broadcast the message.  At that range the communications equipment will effectively override all transmissions."

"Earth Force is gonna be all over them if he doesn't time it right."

"That is a real threat Captain Sisko is aware of that but he is confident that he can pull this off," Picard said as the _Yeager_ went to warp.  "So am I.  We will need him back here, which should be in about four days."

Now as the sat in the Ready-room, Sheridan was grim once again. 

"Delenn has received reports form the Minbari government.  It's been confirmed."

Jean-Luc took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "The Shadows have attacked the Vorlon territories."

"Yes," Sheridan confirmed.  "And they're not dancing around them like they did in the last war either.  In the last war it was true, everyone was involved including the Vorlons but there were very few records of them actually having direct confrontations.  This time though, it's different.  When the Vorlons attacked that Shadow raiding party that was very likely the catalyst.  Then there was the Kosh attack, which failed because Guinan intervened with the transporters and another of their people died.  Then, your brush with the Shadow ship may have pushed them over the edge.  Somehow the rules have changed.  They've changed their strategy and caught the Vorlons flat-footed.  The Vorlons haven't been able to rally and they're on the defensive.  There are unconfirmed reports that several of their big ships have been destroyed.  And hundreds of Shadow ships are heading into Vorlon space."  

He looked at Picard with all mannerisms of a man who bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.  "Soon we're going to be in the middle of the biggest bloodbath this galaxy has ever seen if we don't do something quick."

"Just what do you propose to do?"

"Right now, just surviving the next few days is an iffy proposition.  Beyond that I have no clue.  They've left the other races alone to concentrate on the Vorlons.  If worse comes to worse, the non-aligned worlds and the Minbari may be forced to intervene sooner than we planned, because without Kosh's people, we won't stand a chance."

"Well, we have some data on the ship that nearly destroyed my vessel.  You might find it interesting.  They don't use hyperspace jump points but rather they actually phase into hyperspace without the tremendous energy required to form a jump point.  However, my engineers have been working on that problem, since our ships essentially surround themselves in a subspace bubble effectively creating similar conditions.  Therefore I suspect that our graviton generators will be effective against them."

"How effective?"

"I am not sure yet," Picard said.  "Right now it is our top priority since further encounters with these creatures appear to be imminent." 

Sheridan was about to ask for details when his comm united called for his attention.  He shrugged, a meaning that Picard knew all too well.  "Sheridan here."

It was Susan.  "We're getting a massive increase of neutrino emissions from the planet.  And there's something else."

And she told him. 

"_Babylon four_?  Are you sure?"

"If it's a genuine distress call we can have the _Ambassador_…"

"No," Sheridan said.  "This is something we have to handle.  But thanks for the offer."  He was being cryptic he knew.  But this was strictly _B5_ business.

Captain Picard watched as Sheridan disappeared the hallway.  The _Enterprise-D_ was still being repaired and he was late for his meeting with Guinan.  Turning with purpose, he went to talk to his Ambassador and his friend.

**EAS station three: **

The EAS battle group consisting of the _Omega-_class destroyers _Damocles_ and _Orion_ and their support ships tracked the small Federation starship's movements until it jumped into what was now known to them as warp space.  All jump gates linked to the renegade station were monitored and so far few Earth transports were getting in.  There was the occasional smuggler testing his or her skills but as a whole, it was locked up tight.  However, according to all reports, instead of _B5_ slowing choking to death, it was doing better than expected.   Long-distance scans had discovered a new class of Star fury and moreover, alien traffic actually seemed to be increasing.  Rumors from passing alien ships spoke of an incredible array of supplies and textiles, exotic foods and almost magical like repairs.  There were so many reports from so many alien travelers that Earth Force was becoming more than concerned.  The blockade was turning into a mockery in its present form, a thing to be laughed at by the other alien governments.

But enforcing the blockade on _Babylon Five_ against any Earth based ship entering or leaving, served another purpose.  They were to keep an eye on all movements of the Federation starships.  This included those shuttles, the big cruisers and Battleship, and the newest little one called the _Yeager_.

"In what direction was it heading?"

"Their general heading points towards the Sol system, or somewhere near.  We're not sure, sir."

General Brindley received the report an hour later.  The question turned over and over in his mind.  Would the smaller ship actually go to Earth or Mars?  Was it a covert run, a test for a future invasion using that incredible FTL drive?  Why would Sheridan do such a thing?  He thought about it for hours.  

"I believe that it's a test," he later told his staff.  It was the only logical thing.  "Sheridan wants to see if they can enter Earthspace with impunity.  Those other ships that he has may be part of this overall plan.  Inform Earth Force that they may have visitors soon.  The _Yeager_ may be coming.  Target with extreme prejudice."

He looked at his staff once more.  Hopefully there'll be something left for us to salvage."  He hoped that he looked more confident than he felt.  Long-range visuals had recorded the little ship in combat with those-things.  It was tough, maneuverable and fast.  He hoped that whoever encountered it had support.

**Centauri Prime:**

As wonderful as it was to be on the homeworld, Londo Mollari, Ambassador to the _Babylon Five_ space station, was not happy being here.  The Imperial palace, once a place of beauty and splendor was now a place of foreboding and shadow.  Dressed in his best finery, he respectfully acknowledged his Emperor.  The Emperor Cartagia laughed gaily and waved Londo closer in which he did as he was ordered.  But he did not get too much closer as the Emperors vicious-looking guards were eyeing him for any signs of treachery.   Everywhere people quieted so that they could see what might happen.  The current was not stable and anything might happen.

"We are so pleased to see you," Cartagia beamed.  "Have you done what we have requested?"

Londo gulped.  "Not as of yet, my Emperor," he said softly.  "Security has been heightened since the attempted assassination of Ambassador Kosh and other recent developments.  I believe that it is almost impossible to acquire the shield technology by negotiations alone.  But at this time I also believe that force may not necessarily achieve our goals."

Londo spoke every word with he greatest of care because, quite frankly, the new Emperor was completely insane.  Insane people have a tendency to perform rash acts.   His temperament was unpredictable, and it was well known that several of his enemies had disappeared recently.  The Earth people had a saying _walking on_ _pins and needles_.  That phrase precisely described anyone's dealing with Cartagia.  High society treaded carefully in his presence.  And bad news could get the messenger killed quite easily these days.

For Londo though, today wasn't his day to die.

"I understand, Londo," the Emperor said soothingly much to the relief to everyone present.  Then he laughed and everyone else did also including Londo.  

"Do not worry, Londo," his leader intoned.  "We expected this and have made arrangements accordingly," he said as he put a friendly arm around the Ambassador's shoulder.  "I want you to enjoy your time here for the next few days.  Take time off and relax yourself.  We grieve at the loss of your loved one."

Londo thanked Emperor Cartagia for his concern false as it was but it was understood that the ruler of Centauri Prime did not want him going back to _B5_.      

"Come, come Mollari, I have someone I wish you to meet," Cartagia continued.  "I want you to meet someone," he repeated, pulling Londo along like a child at play.  Quickly Londo was pulled over to a solitary figure more or less hidden in the corner.   The creature was covered in heavy cloth and wore a hood that hid nothing of the hideousness of his features.  It was about his height, bald, greenish gray colored and possessed a predatory look that would have done those Klingon beings proud.  But by far the most frightening thing was that it seemed-not in focus.  That was the best way he could describe it.  Its image shifted as though one looked at it through a distorted mirror.  It was a most frightening effect.

"He is called Drakh," said a voice from behind.  

Londo's right heart faltered for a moment.  He had no idea that Mr. Morden was on Centauri prime.  "Mr. Morden," he said not showing the fear that had now infused him.  "What is his species?  I have never seen anyone like that."

"His species is called Drakh," Morden said as though that would clear up any misconceptions.  "But we prefer to call the Emissary.  Think of him as an Ambassador…like you."

"Ambassador to where? Londo gulped.  

"Why, here of course," answered Cartagia rather upset that he had been left out of the conversation.  "The Drakh are associates of _our_ associates and now that we are at war, I thought it was good that we came together, after all we will be seeing a lot of one another soon."

Londo's mind reeled even as he struggled not to faint.  "We are at war?  Who are we at war with, Sire?" he managed to ask.  He hadn't heard nothing not even rumors of another war.

"Why, with the Vorlons of course," Cartagia beamed brightly.  "It's a wonderful war, Mollari.  The Vorlons were taken completely by surprise and two of their worlds have fallen.  Most of their newest warships have been eliminated and they are in disarray."

"My associates are most pleased with the results," said Morden.  "However our resources are stretch to the limit and we needed to call in some favors.  There are powers that will almost certainly involve themselves on the Vorlon's behalf, so the Drakh will deal with them.  Then there are the Federation shields, which are proving a true nuisance.  Normally my associates would strongly desire to study those shields and other very exotic technologies themselves, but as you can understand, they are busy at the moment."

"And this is where we come in Londo."  Cartagia was smiling so brightly that Londo turned from the glare lest he say something.  _Let the universe burn_ he had said recently.  Well, he had just discovered that he was about to get his wish.  

"Lord Refa thought of this most wondrous idea.  We will get the secrets of the shields and of course that amazing transportation mechanism from the Klingons."

Londo thought furiously.  "I expect they might resist our suggestions to give it to us peacefully.  I have told Lord Refa this but he refused to listen.  I suspect that he wishes capture the glory himself.  Didn't he tell you that those Federation ships might intervene?  Then there is _Babylon Five_ who will not take this exercise lightly."

"Might…if," the Emperor dismissed with the wave of his hand.  "Do you mock me?" the ruler of Centauri asked.  He thought as he stared at Mollari for a second and dismissed the idea and watched as Londo sighed in relief.  "No, Mollari, I don't believe you would do that.  I understand your concerns.  But I made a promise, a promise I intend to keep.  That is why I am sending a phalanx of the Imperial fleet.  They won't dare interfere with a dozen _Primus_ and _Vorchan_ warships pointed at their throats.  Our ships are so much better that those pitiful earth ships."

"But _Babylon Five_ is technically EarthGov property.  What if they decide to defend it?"

Cartagia smiled.  "That's why I like you.  You are always thinking."  He pulled Londo close and whispered into his ear.  "President Clarke rather likes the idea that that horrid station might be destroyed.  It's causing him no end of grief and if it happens to be, let us say, obliterated by mistake, it wouldn't bother him at all.  He wouldn't be at fault.  Its destruction would be on that thief Sheridan's shoulders.  Clarke will not commit any ships in the defense of _Babylon Five _and if he did, it would come far too late."

Morden bowed to the Emperor and then added a few points, from his perspective.  "It has always been in the interest of my associates that _B5_ stay intact.  However recent events are lowering its importance.  It's becoming a problem.  That's' why you were ordered back here.  We don't want anything to happen to you.  After all," he said quietly.  "You did made a promise and we will fulfill our part of the bargain.  There are other friends of ours that are leaving also, quietly of course.  We don't want to arouse suspicion."

"What about Vir?" Londo asked suddenly terrified that he might be lost in the coming conflict."

Cartagia had an answer for that and it was delivered like a slow moving glacier.  "Everything is already in motion.  We can't have every one of our people leave.  It might spoil the surprise.  No telling now, promise?"  Again he smiled at Londo.  "Don't worry about Vir," he said waving his hand as though the person he was talking about meant less than nothing.  "I have a new attendant for you.  He will serve you well when you go as our new representative to Z'ah'dum."

Londo shook his head, the sadness coming off him in waves.  _Everyone I care for dies._  And as per usual, he could do nothing about it but watch. 

He needed a drink-or several.  He wasn't sure yet when it would happen, but Hell was coming.

Chief Garibaldi was still fuming when he discovered the others had left him behind.  Delenn had gone, along with Sheridan and one of his best friends and former Commander of _B5_, Jeffery Sinclair.  He couldn't understand why he had been left behind this time.  He had been to _B-Four _previously and he had had experience with the temporal disturbance that surrounded the station.  But it was too late for him to catch up now and much of that time was wasted with that crazy encrypted letter from Sinclair.  It was unfair which, by the way, was one of his favorite mantras.  Unfairness surrounded him like a fog.  

He was off-duty now but too hyped up to rest.  He had just eaten one of his favorite meals-courtesy of his personal food replicator when he was beeped.  Why wasn't that no one could get a little rest when they needed it, as if he could actually get some now?"

"This is Garibaldi."

"Chief this is Hiroshi.  I think we have a problem."

_Nuts._  It was time to get back in uniform.  Sandra was covering the night watch in Command and Control, since she wanted to pull her weight around here and Susan had been delighted to get some relief.   

"What's the problem?" he asked as he put his shoes on.

"We have three Centauri _Vorchan_ cruisers just passed through the jump gate."

Now that was strange.  "Have you hailed them?"

"Yes and they did not return our hails.  I've been trying but they are not responding."

The hairs on his back started to rise. "What are they doing?"

"Just standing there."

That was not good.  "I'm coming up.  Continue to hail them and just to be on the safe side put _B5_ on general alert."

"Already done."

Something was wrong and found himself running to the elevator.

On the _K'mpec's Honor_, the Klingons were having a good time.  Impossibly, they had discovered that Narn dishes were very much to their liking.  And if the Narns were generally untrained in the ways of battle, they were more than willing to learn Klingon combat techniques.  Sometimes he was almost tempted to give some of the weapons to G'Kar's people in their war against the Centauri.  What a battle that would be!  But the others were right.  Even with the weapons, the Narn weren't strong enough to win.  He would not do that to them.  

Captain Koral had promised himself that he would learn about this new place and he had kept that promise.  The Humans here were not bad but old habits were hard to kill and he found himself flinching at them.  But it was happening less and less.  

And he enjoyed his talks with Worf, son of Morg and even the Human commando, Captain Sisko.  It was true, they had more in common than they had thought, even if they were weak willed.  And this universe had enemies enough to satiate all of his crew.  But this _Babylon Five_...  What a place!  It changed a person's soul.  You could not stay here and not be changed.

He was becoming enlightened.  But he was a little angry as well.  Worf had decided not to join the crew and Koral was not sure why.  Then there was Knona, who had asked-asked no less!-to spend some time on the _Ambassador_ in some sort of exchange of cultures' nonsense.  He would never even consider doing something like that.  Yet-

-For some reason he felt envious.  That female showed strength he wished he had.   His people had lost most of their day-today culture in the war.  Yes, there were festivals, song and the telling of their history.  But the joy, as Worf put it, was lost in the constant wasted fighting.  Without the constant threat of war there was so much to see!  Home was so much simpler but even if they made it back, it would never be simple again. 

"Captain," his scans officer said in battle language.  "Three Centauri warships have just exited the gate and are pointed in our direction."

It was of little concern to him what they were doing.  They weren't those insect vessels so therefore they could come and go as they pleased.  A minute later, _B5_ was trying to contact the strange haired Humanoids.  They didn't respond and now Koral's interest increased.  

"Koss," he said.  "To station."

Seconds later the young Klingon entered the bridge, food still on his forehead and took his place at the weapons station.  Koral said nothing as he resisted the urge to laugh.  The boy never could clean food off his face properly.  At least this would give him something to do.  All those thoughts vanished as at least nine independent jump points formed almost on top his ship.

"Combat alert!" he yelled as the first messages were received.

"Get Vir up here, now!"  

"Fourteen heavy cruisers and support fighters and they're talking, but not to us," Sandra said as Michael Garibaldi ran to the center of the Command and Control.  "We need to launch our fighters."

"Agreed, ASAP.  Launch everything.  Let me hear what they're saying.

_"…of the Centauri government demands that you surrender your crew and ship for interrogation for violating Centauri space.  You have three standard minutes."_

_"We spy on no one.  Your planet is unworthy of our interests."_

_"Our reports clearly identified your ship edging Centauri space when you first appeared.  When you are examined on the home world, your guilt or innocence will be determined…"_

The Klingon Captain lost his temper and launched a string of curses detailing to the Centauri exactly what they could do with their investigation and their Emperor and a few others were added for flavoring… 

"Enough of this," Sandra said, blanching at the sheer number of  warships she was seeing.  "Get me a channel. This is _Babylon Five_ command.  The Klingon vessel is under our protection.  You have brought a hostile force into our space.  This is an act of aggression that will not be tolerated.  Leave our space now.  If you have a complaint, present it through your local government official."

Vir rushed into the command, saw what was happening, and was shocked beyond comprehension.  "What is happening out there?  Why are there Centauri cruisers all over the place?" 

He turned to Garibaldi and asked if someone was attacking B5.  It was clear that he didn't have a clue what was going on.  Both Sandra and Michel shuttered at the implications.

"All hands battle stations!"

"Request permission to leave the ship."

"Request granted, Worf," Garrett said.  She turned and looked at her crew.  They were anxious, but ready.   It really was a shame she thought.  Every since the accident, fighting had been almost a constant part of their lives.  Now it seemed as though they were about to go into battle once more. "Transport now. And get me the _Enterprise-D_."

The _Enterprise_ was in no condition for a running battle.  Its shield generators were still being repaired its warp engines were offline.  Shields were at thirty-five percent and it had edged closer to _B5_ for protection.  All six of her combat Runabouts were surrounding her and her weapons were hot.  She couldn't move faster than one-half impulse, but she was about to become a stationary weapons battery.

"Transport is complete.  The Klingon cruiser is at full power and her weapons systems are fully active."

This was the one thing they had been warned about.  Guinan had mentioned Centauri aggression but this over action came as somewhat of a surprise.  _B5_ seemed to be an acceptable neutral ground, even between the Centauri and Narn.

"Launch both our Runabouts.  Have them support the _Enterprise_ and get me a channel to the Centauri."  Picard had already made their position clear and she was about to re-enforce that position.   "How many ships?"

Twelve _Primus_ heavy cruisers and the same number of the _Vorchan_ attack cruisers and over one hundred of their smaller _Sentri_ fighters."

"The Klingon ship is being targeted.  _B5_ also, and both Federation ships," Castillo said tightly. His mind worked furiously.  Something didn't match up right here.  "This is something else here.  All this isn't just simply to capture one ship." 

"I agree," Captain Garrett said as she sat down lightly into her chair, preparing herself.  "Guinan was right.  They've thrown in with the Shadows.  They're here to destroy _Babylon Five_."


	18. Chapter 18

**    Chapter Eighteen**

**  "_And So It Begins"_**

****

**Centauri _Primus-class_ Command ship _Emperor's Delight_:**

Captain Tanito Konto, Fleet Commander of the famed Centauri Imperial fleet, stepped to the front of the magnificent view-plate of the _Emperor's Delight_ and smiled for what seemed the first time in days.  In front of him were stars again and he reveled in the sight, since he and his fleet had been laying-in-wait in hyperspace for days on end waiting for this exact moment to strike.   His was one of several fleets positioned in various sectors to begin what the Emperor called 'the Great Adventure'.  The Centauri presence was about spread, significantly, the days of long past and of half-remembered glory would now sweep back once more.   His target was small, almost insignificant, but still vital to Centauri interest.  The idea of actually teleporting from one point to another was indeed intriguing but it was a shame that he was going to have to run over _Babylon Five_ in order to get the technology.   If the aliens should have simply shared, this distasteful affair would not have to take place.   

Personally he had no animosity towards the Human-built space station and in fact he actually liked Humans as a whole. True, they were relatively uncouth and had a tendency to border towards arrogance at any given moment, but they did learn from their mistakes.  Also they weren't Narns, the blood enemy of his people.    For that species he had no love for whatsoever, and had taken great delight in bombing them back into the Stone Age as the Humans so quaintly put it.  Even the name Narn disgusted him. As commander of the assault fleet that attacked the defenseless Narn home world, he had personally ordered the slaughter of millions of them and had felt nothing in return.  His opinion of them was simple.  They were little better than animals that had stolen their technology to get into space.  

The Narn heavy cruisers were a joke and hundreds of their ships went down into vacuum almost as easily as their home world had.  Now that war was over, the Narn subdued, but the Emperor's blood lust, his desire for conquest was not yet satisfied.  There were several small conflicts going on with the non-aligned worlds, not a sufficient challenge for Konto's taste, but here, it promised to be different.   

_Babylon-Five_ would be a nice test for his fleet.  It had survived several conflicts of its own and had come thru quite nicely.  But, it was still Human-based technology and therefore inferior to the Centauri's who had been in space for almost a thousand years.  By defeating the station, he would gain valuable data on the capabilities of Earth weaponry and tactics because sooner or later he knew that EarthGov would oppose them and when that happened he planned to threat that new enemy like the Narn-unless they surrendered first.  

He didn't expect that to happen.

But his orders were also clear.  Do not fire on _B5_ unless they initiate hostilities first and in that eventuality he was to destroy the station utterly.  It would be a waste but he had his orders from Cartagia himself.  On the other hand, these Klingons and their vessel were to be escorted to he home world, to be stripped, dissected, analyzed and its technology to be incorporated into the Empire.  If one day their friends decided to come looking for them… Well, the Centauri would be ready for them.  They were getting stronger everyday.

True, they may have been a power to reckon with in their area of space, but here, they were one lonely vessel.   With his overwhelming force, that shouldn't be a problem _unless B5_ and the Federation ships interfered which was exactly what they seemed prepared to do.  Why they would sacrifice themselves for one ship was bizarre and foolish.  But then Earth people seemed very foolish in that aspect.  

Why Earth colonists had designed those ships that way was a mystery to him.  And that was another point that perplexed him.  The Earth Federation ships seemed a bizarre combination of pieces stuck together by some obviously drunken designer.  There were far too many windows, suggesting in some way that these vessels had been retrofitted.  Foolish in the extreme was the general opinion that echoed across the bridge.  In fact the bridge crew seemed to be having trouble finding the weapons ports on those ships and-

-And what?  Shuttles?  Were they that desperate? He resisted an urge to laugh.  Where were their fighters or were they so poor that they didn't have any?  Certainly the size of their so-called capital ships would indicate that assumption.  Overall barely a third the size of his command ship, the two ships seemed to be more along the lines of luxury liners rather than warships.   

But then there was the Klingon ship.  Now there was an image of a warship!  Designed to mimic some type of flying hunter, it looked dangerous.  A fact, he appreciated because his fighters also mimicked those fearsome birds of prey.  Even the _Vorchans_ were reminiscent of those fearsome creatures.  But again, why build them so small?  No matter.

"It doesn't look like too much trouble," he muttered to himself, still looking at the alien spacecrafts intently.  "These were the ships that laid waste to the Earth battleships?" he asked his first officer.

"Yes, sir," First Officer Caddo answered with a distinct air of distain.  "Our reports indicated that the Earth ships couldn't get past their shields to damage them."

"But where are they? Surely by now they should have implemented them, foolish of them not to, given the gravity of their situation."

"Maybe it takes time and a lot of energy to activate the shutters," he suggested.  It is possible that they are automatically activated when attacked."  Caddo stared at the aliens as hard as his Captain, who moved his head grimly.

"Well, when this begins, for their sakes I hope those shields activate quickly.  So many windows-it's insane.  They should have their designer and the people who authorized its building executed."  He noted his first officer's silent agreement.  

"Can we analyze their jump capacity?"

"No, sir.  Our scans are somehow being reflected back," his First in Command, said.  "But our spies report that they don't have that capability."

"But they have FTL capability independent of jump physics."

"Yes, sir," he said again.  "It is believed that they push their engines-whatever type they are-to get to light speed before some other technique takes over."

The Commander looked disgusted.  "Such a waste of energy.  I'm amazed they even made it into space like that.  What about their weapons?  Our spies were vague on that also."  Actually they had been vague on a lot of things he realized.

"From what I have studied about the Federation ships, the Earth Forces lasers and particle beams apparently didn't have as much effect they hoped."

His Captain disagreed.  "Look at the bigger of the two ships, the one surrounded by the small shuttles-how embarrassing- it must have been damaged.  I believe that Earth Force may have done more harm than they suspected."

"That would explain why the bald Captain protested so much."

Caddo smiled.  "That would certainly explain why he looked so grim."

"When he experiences the power of our weaponry, he'll look positively morbid.  I hope I get a chance to see his face then."  A few seconds later when both man finished laughing, the Captain turned serious again. 

One thing did concern him and concern him greatly, the four Minbari ships-of-the-line also guarding the station.  No matter what was said or done, he would not attack them.  In fact he was ordered not to.  To do so meant suicide and the start of a war his people were not prepared for and couldn't handle.   The famous Minbari stealth technology would be too much even for his fleet.  His crew understood this also.

"How long shall we wait, sir?"

"Until we get the signal."

That signal wasn't long in coming.  As of one accord, all four Minbari war cruisers turned, created jump points and disappeared leaving a shocked _Babylon Five_ alone to face this new threat.

Captain Konto clasped his hands behind his back and turned to his crew.  "That," he snorted, pointing to the collapsing jump points.   "That is the signal."

**The Minbari Territories**

The last word that came thru to the Minbar communications net were, "…unidentified ships attacking…" before they lost contact with their second largest colony world.  Over ninety million lived on the 'Jewel of Minbar' had been killed or injured, the majority being of the workers and religious castes.  The ships came out of nowhere attacking military and civilian crafts and targets of opportunity.  Orbital satellites were destroyed and cities razed.  Several ships-of-the-line were obliterated by masses of attackers.   Even as a shocked Minbar prepared to respond, emergency calls from twelve more of their protectorates began flooding the comm nets.  

Everywhere it was the same.  Large fleets of unidentified arrow-shaped ships exiting hyperspace without warning, attacking and destroying everything, then just as quickly they re-entered jump space and escaped before military forces could respond.  The last war was with the Humans, and now there were some preparations being made as the Shadows operated more openly.  But now, the entire Federation was in an uproar, now reeling from the blows by an unknown, vicious and determined enemy.  

The most brutal attacks were at the edge of their territories, the area closest to neutral and unclaimed space and _Babylon Five_.  The closest warships available to assist the beleaguered colony were at _Babylon Five_.  There was no choice.

One of the targets, a specific target, was the ship building space dock for the _White Star_ fleet.  Close to forty ships exited hyperspace and began firing at the unfinished and unprepared _White Stars_, cracking and destroying many in the first salvos.  Then the enemy vessels struck the space dock and thousands of the religious and worker caste died screaming.  The enemy was thorough and swift and when they left, there was nothing left but ruins.  All of the forty first-generation _White Stars _built or under various stages of construction, were reduced to rubble.  The enemy knew exactly where they were and now there were now exactly eleven left in the universe.

To the Minbari this day would be known as First Blood.  It was day one of the Drakh wars.

_We're going to die today_ Lieutenant Commander Gerald Higgins thought as he and his elite squad of the new, improved _Thunderbolt_ Star Furies formed up as the first line of defense against an enemy three times their number.  There were ten of Grey Squadron and forty more of the standard fighters.  The ten had gravity and polarized plating, and an updated Federation styled micro-fusion power plant, giving them a seventy percent increase in overall power.  And that enabled them to move faster and withstand multiple hits.  The gravity compensators allowed for acrobatics that was impossible in a normal Star Fury without blacking out or being squashed into paste.  And the re-enforced blast shields had been replaced with–wonder of wonders- transparent aluminum.  In addition his fighter squadron now had twin phased-energy weapons, nothing like the stuff the Fed people had due to compatibility issues, but years ahead of anything Earth Force currently had.

He didn't want to fight.  In fact he didn't even want to be on _Babylon Five_ in the first place.  It was Captain Hiroshi's fault and her moralistic platitudes that got him separated from his family on Earth in the first place.  When the fighting started, he didn't have a choice.  It was do or die, but he didn't have to like it.  Now he was fighting and perhaps dying again for a cause he didn't believe in.  

Frankly these Federation people scared him with their science and even their attitudes.  From what little he had seen, he could perfectly understand why Clarke was frightened of them.  But there were other points also.  The universe was falling into the toilet.  The Shadows, and Vorlons were at war and now the Centauri were starting up in a big way.  It was a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.

_Enough of this _he thought chiding himself for his lapse in concentration._  Concentrate on what you're doing or die._

"Okay Grey squad," he started, all other thoughts shoved aside.  "When the word is given, we will attack first the rest will follow us.  Remember our job is to protect _Babylon Five_.  Concentrate on the fighters and leave the big boys to deal with the Capital ships."

Suddenly, several jump points opened almost on top of them and a stunned _Babylon Five_, along with its defense force watched as the Minbari disappeared into hyperspace.  A minute later, the Centauri began moving forward towards the Klingon warship and its Federation wing mate.

_"This stinks to high heaven!  I knew we couldn't trust the Minbari!"_

"Tell me about it," Higgins said over the comms.  He didn't have time to worry about why they left.  It was time to recalculate the odds, odds that had just gotten worse.

Captain Koral and Worf maintained absolute silence as the Federation Starship _Ambassador_ took up station next to _K'mpec's Honor_.  Koral in the Captain's seat was torn between shock and awe.  Irony had been his friend lately, but he still had to get used to its company.  Less than two months ago, he was doing his best to destroy Humans like them and now he was coordinating a mutual assault against another enemy intent on destroying them all.  And it felt right!

Worf on the other hand took it all in stride.  Knowledge was the great equalizer and he was content to fight a true enemy instead of someone's dupe.  Even after all this time, his anger boiled when he thought of the war.  

"One of the _Primus_ class and two _Vorchans_ are accelerating towards us," Valcris hissed in battle language.  She was the sensors officer and she excelled at her duty.  She often saw openings that others missed and that made her a very valuable member of the crew.  Young, yes, short, yes, but she was also extremely loud which was a true gift when she needed to be heard over the din of battle.  "They're signaling."

"_Surrender or die_!"

Koral ordered visuals activated.  He appeared on screen with Worf behind him looking as hostile as possible, startling Captain Konto who took a step away from the screen.  Worf, looking as vicious as Koral, stepped towards the front.

"Today is a good day to die," he snarled.  

An intimidated Konto closed the transmission.

"Animals!"  The Captain of the _Emperor's Delight_ had hoped to coerce these vermin into surrendering by having three of his cruisers move closer, but now from what he just saw, he now believed that this was impossible.  If evil could be given a face, then evil was what he saw a few moments ago.  "Today is a good day to die?  Yes, it is-for them."  He turned to his second in command. "Order the fleet to fire on _B5 _and the others as soon as the advance force receives fire from the Klingon ship."

"Yes, sir."

"They should have deployed their shields.  Too late now.  And they would soon discover that the Centauri had shielding too.  "All ships fire!"

Konto watched with anticipation as eight Centauri heavy ion and four laser cannons fired from the _Primus_ attack cruiser hit and bounced off of the shields of the Klingon battle cruiser, while both _Vorchans_ struck the _Ambassador _with multiple particle arrays and twin ion canons.  Surprisingly, the two alien vessels survived the initial onslaught.  In fact, the weapon's fire never even touched either ship.  The Captain didn't like that at all.  He assumed that those shields were metallic in nature not some type of invisible bubble. That extended away from their ships.  Unbelievable!   Why hadn't Command told him about those force fields?  His information had been sorely lacking and he would have to deal with that as soon as he got home.  Now, he watched in increasing dread as the Klingons returned fire.  

Klingon disruptors tore into the _Primus_ like a sharp knife thru naked flesh.  The first greenish, twin pulse went completely through the bridge section of the doomed ship and out the other side.  The next set of three pulses obliterated the ship and its armor and shielding did nothing to stop it.  When the vapor cloud dissipated, there was nothing left larger than a meter in size floating in place where his ships had been.  The other tiny ship had fired its weapons also, causing both _Vorchans_ to explode spectacularly.  

Momentarily frozen by the violence of the destruction, Konto cursed his superiors.  They hadn't given him any information about these ships.  Those ships had what suspiciously looked like advanced gravimetric shields, not plating!  He had never seen anything quite like it.  The beams seemed to splash around the edges of those ships and he could see the invisible 'bubble' surrounding both ships. 

This simple exercise had turned into a far more interesting fight.  He reveled in the prospects of a hard won victory.  The next moment, he was screaming for countermeasures, evasives and for his ship to fire everything it had, at anything not Centauri but especially those small ships, one which was tearing his way towards him even as he spoke.  He'd bring them back in pieces, if necessary.  

Higgins and his wingman lieutenant Gandhi pulled a high-G portside turn so tight they still had trouble believing that maneuver it was even possible.  They didn't fall into unconscious, indeed barely felt it as they locked onto two _Sentri_ interceptors.

The _Sentries_ had impressive maneuverability and great acceleration, much better than Star Furies-of old.  But he was in a whole different animal here.  Advanced targeting centered their targets and quad phased pulses blew both out the Centauri fighters out of space.

"Nice shot!"  

Higgins grimaced.  It was a nice shot.  They had actually outturned the Centauri, got behind their six and splashed them both without sweat.  Already they had taken out four fighters and were about to line up two more.  He was feeling a little giddy and had to clear him mind to concentrate on the ongoing fight.  Together, Grey squadron had now scored so many kills that the Centauri had taken noticed and were concentrating on them intently now.  That was a mistake as the _Thunderbolt_s and regular Star Furies were ignored, allowing them easier kills than would normally be possible.  Higgins targeted another fighter, eliminated and turned again to cover _B5_ when his threat alert computer alarms went off.

_"Ship has been locked,"_ the computer said.  _"Ion particle beams.  Impact in three seconds…two…one…"_

Higgins screamed as his life flashed before his eyes.  Everything outside went bluish-red.  He felt his ship knocked ninety degrees off his trajectory.  

_"Nuclear power-plant hit…no damage…polarized plating…not damaged…life support systems…no damage…weapons system damaged ten percent …communications system…no damage…left upper thruster damaged four percent…systems operational at eighty-four percent efficiency."  _

There it was-the difference between theory and reality.  The plating had held as promised.  His ship was rated for four hits and they hadn't lied.  "Outstanding," he whispered after catching his breath.

"Lieutenant Commander, are you okay?" his wingman yelled, absolutely sure that Higgins was dead.

"Yes," he answered coolly.   "Let's do it," he said determined to pay back the enemy ship that had made him wet his spacesuit.  They were lucky today, so far.  The enemy had no idea what they were running into, but they did now and it would never be this easy again.

In _Babylon Five's _command center, Captain Hiroshi had ordered all defensive batteries to open fire on the three _Vorchan_ warships and their escorts fighting their way towards the station.  Despite the massive countering firing she was putting up, one of their eight fusion missiles fired towards the station had gotten through.  Nuclear fire raged across the front of the station but much to everyone's surprise they had received a reprieve.  The destructiveness of the weapon hadn't penetrated the newly installed polarized plating now covering over forty percent of the station.  

Offensive fire however, had been relatively ineffective due to the incredible agility of the _Vorchans _light cruisers.  Two of the _Vorchans_ fired their forward ion cannons and scored on unshielded metal opening a portion of the _Babylon Five_ to vacuum.  Protective doors slammed shut to minimize the damage but scores of people had died and were injured from the explosive decompression.  

The vibrations shook the entire station and Hiroshi yelled for details as damage reports flooded in.  She sighed in relief as Garibaldi took off to help deal with the damage.   Unlike her previous ship, a space station had so much more responsibility.  The civilians in particular were at headache during times like these and of course the station was stationary.  It couldn't move out of the way.  Meanwhile, offensive counter fire found one of the _Vorchans_ and damaged it severely.  It limped off the field of battle to effect repairs.

"Captain.  The _Enterprise_ is on the horn."

"Patch them through and lay in covering fire for the fighters in sector H," she answered as over twenty smaller Centauri fighters tried to break thru the gap they'd opened up a few moments earlier.

Picard came onscreen looking as cold as she had ever seen him.  "We are aware of your situation and are sending six of our Runabouts to support your fighters."

"Bless you," she responded.  She meant it, the more mobility she had to defend her station, the better.  "Do what you need to do."

The _Enterprise_ was the major reason why only the starboard side was being targeted.  Two of the _Vorchans_ were sliced in half at an impossible distance even as they approached.  At the present point in time, that area was conspicuously devoid of any Centauri.  And now those boxy shuttles moved forward fearlessly attacking one of the sixteen hundred meter long _Primus_ battle cruisers.  They weren't nearly as agile as fighters but they were as fast or faster than anything in the EAS fleet.  And their weapons range would come as a nasty surprise also.

They came bearing down on the lone Centauri warship that dared to get into _B5_ range and instantly that Commander understood his situation.  Those ugly shuttles were from those Earthian ships and that was hint enough for him.  If they had shielding anywhere close to the strength of their big mother ships then small battle lasers and the light pulse laser canons weren't going to cut it before they were all on top of his ship.  

He ordered a full barrage of the heavy ion cannon aimed right at the incoming vessels, set on wide spread.   It was unheard of tactic to use such heavy weaponry on a shuttle so close-which why it worked.  The eight beams hit the shields of two the incoming shuttles.  The tremendous energy washed over them, a second later some of those shields failed and two exploded an instant later as ion beam met antimatter containment.

Two more of the shuttles were shaken off course by the force of the explosion.  The last two returned fire, phasers cutting into gravimetric shielding and then, almost into four meters of armored hull leading directly into the engine room.  Half the ship blew apart as the engines dissolved into their molecular components.  Then, one of the shuttles fired a photon torpedo directly at the remaining portion…

Sandra watched in silence as forces meant to kill capital warships struck the two Runabouts.  The Federation shuttles-no, she had to correct herself.  They weren't shuttles, they were small starships that looked like shuttles-were too close to one another she reconized, not used to fighting in smaller ship-to-ship confrontations.  Experience was a bitter teacher.  

Now the remaining four of them had re-established their formation and went after the two _Vorchans _that had escaped _B5's_ wrath a few moments earlier.  _B5's _pulse cannons had tagged one of those ships, damaging an engine.  Now that ship turned for one last strafing run at the station before retreating to the safety of it fellow ships.  In the process it fired a vicious volley of its missile pulse cannons at a group of civilian ships still trying distance themselves from the firefight.  Two of six vessels were small Narn ships, a silent reminder of the Narns once great star fleet.  None of those ships had jump engines and to the Centauri the target had been irresistible, especially the Narns.  None of the vessels had a chance as the directed energy ripped them apart.    

Captain Hiroshi nearly fainted from the rage that threatened to consume her.  There was no reason for that!  They were unarmed and now they were dead.  They weren't even in the way.  And she wasn't the only one who had witnessed the murder.  

The four Fed ships had now split their formation and proceed to run both _Vorchans_ down, something very few ships of any species even had the capacity to do.  The damaged Centauri ship, quickly deciding that retreat was the better part of valor, created a jump point and escaped with no less than six of the Runabouts smaller yield photon torpedoes following it into the now collapsed hyper-point.   Whether they hit or not, no one knew.  

The other _Vorchan_ wasn't as lucky.  Dodging as though the pilot was insane, nevertheless, it ran right into a phaser shot, effectively guillotining the ship.  Now both parts tumbled aimlessly towards the dead planet _Babylon five_ orbited.     

Despite the sporadic attacks on _Babylon Five_ it was crystal clear to Captain Picard and the crew that the primary target was _K'mpec's Honor_.  Picard gave a silent acknowledgement of respect at the way the Klingon cruiser weaved and dodged the almost unbelievable firepower directed against it.  He hated to admit it but there was a dark beauty to its dance with the older Federation starship that bore the name _Enterprise_ as well.  They were leading the enemy away from them and their shields had been nearly depleted, but both ships continued their maneuvers, setting the enemy up for the final strike.   The Runabouts and Star Furies were herding the fighters towards _B5_ and the killing zone they had set up there.  

"Commander Riker."

"Yes, sir," came the immediate response.  "We're prepared.  They're in position now."

Behind him, Tasha waited patiently, eyes cold with the knowledge of what she was about to do.  

Picard's coldness somehow, cracked and a touch of pity issued forth.  The Centauri forces rushed into a fight against a force they didn't fully understand, he believed.  They had no conception that the instant their forces had jumped into _Babylon Five_ space, they were already in his ship's range weapons range.   Someone had willingly led them to the slaughter.  Pity their superiors.  

"Order our ships to scatter now!"  Both the Klingon and Federation ship accelerated violently going to warp one.   

"… And Mr. Yar, fire!"

A dozen full yield photon torpedoes erupted from the _Enterprise's_ launch tubes achieving close to seventy-five percent of light speed.   It took six seconds for the _Enterprise_ to launch twelve, independently targeted torpedoes.  At the same instant, both the Klingons and _Ambassador_ fired their own torpedoes into the mass of Centauri warships unknowingly led to their massacre.  The _Ambassador's_ type one launch tubes fired three cluster sets of the projectiles at a rate of approximately four every three seconds.   _K'mpec's Honor_ matched the _Enterprise-D's_ rate of fire with its own version of the photon torpedoes.  

Centauri countermeasures barely had time to detect, much less respond to the oncoming deluge.  Even as the first of the breaking thrusters activated, the ships were savaged from three sides.  The saturation strike devastated the entire region.

The CnC onboard _Babylon Five_ shielded their eyes from the combined blasts that washed over the area, where the majority of the Centauri fleet used to be.  Sandra Hiroshi stood mute, her eyes seeing but her mind not fully comprehending the enormity of the blasts that had just occurred.  Even with anti-glare screens, the entire vicinity disappeared in white flash that gave the appearance of a star going nova.

"My God!"  It took her a few seconds for her eyes to recover from the blast.  Witnessing the explosions first hand, she understood that over ninety percent of the light had been filtered out.  She was a Captain, or rather a former Captain now of Earth Force, had seen her share of multiple nuclear detonations, but this, this, was several factors above anything she'd ever witnessed.  And most of the force had been expressed as invisible gamma rays, she thought shaking her head.  

Lieutenant Corwin scanning the area simply shook his head.  "I was tracking ten of their ships in pursuit.  Now… There's nothing there.   The energy readout from the blasts was equal to approximately one thousand and six hundred and fifty megatons."

Sandra took it all in. Those ships didn't have a chance and again she was forced to ask herself _where were these people from to have and need such power?   _She actually admired how they had jumped to warp and at the same time blanketed the area with those photon missiles of theirs.  That left five functional capital ships left out of a fleet of twenty-four, two of which were abandoning their heavily damaged comrades.  They made it into jump space before they could be stopped.    

The other remaining three were about to do follow suit when there was a flash of distortion appearing in front of the rear ship.  The Klingon cruiser's disruptor canons began demolishing all weapons ports and engineering sections.  Then something surprising occurred.  The subspace distortion wave interacting with the jump point event horizon caused an unexpected reaction.  Both the jump point and subspace bubble collapsed.  The first _Primus_ veered off desperate to generate another hyperspace gateway in time to get away.  Now, it was being chased by a group of the Modified Star Furies and the Centauri Captain's only thought was to get away.  The small fighters weren't too much of a threat but there was no thought of confronting them.  It created a second jump point and streaked to safety, just as the _Ambassador_ came into visual contact.   Unfortunately two of the Star Furies were caught up by the backwash and pulled into jump space along with the escaping _Vorchan_.    

The _Ambassador_ pulled into relatively close range-within striking distance of the two damaged Centauri vessels, ordering them to surrender.  With no hope of escape, one of the ships began powering down.  The other ship, defiant to the end, fired a weapons burst at the starship, which promptly returned fire, cutting the ship in half with its phasers.  Massive explosions ripped what remained into small fragments.  

_K'mpec's Honor_ seemed to watch the helpless Centauri _Primus_ for a moment as if studying some type of insect.  The fortunes of war had turned once more.  The prey had turned out to be a most dangerous predator.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**"EarthSpace"**

Captain Pallott's orders were specific-in the unlikely even of capture he was to destroy all records in the data logs.  Nothing was to be given over to the enemy that might compromise the Centauri republic, especially at this critical junction.  He had every intention of performing his duty if anything were to occur.  When this mission had turned into a debacle, the only recourse remaining to him was flight.  Tanito Konto was dead, along with most of the fleet.  The stiff resistance had been unexpected and the strike that had destroyed the majority of the fleet in one swift blow had been unfathomable.  They had been told of the power of those colonial Earthian ships but no one really believed it and besides the reports had been suspect.  The Human forces that had provided the information were believed to have been exaggerating the capabilities of their enemies.  Even some of the Centauri spy reports had been discounted, after all how could something like transporter technology be economically useful? How much power did it generate and how trustworthy was it?  And were the FTL engines really as good as jump tech, which had been proven reliable to the Centauri and other races for more than a thousand years plus of known history?  

A quick survey of his wrecked ship convinced him that it wasn't worth it.  The projectile weapons that hit them were antimatter based and although his ship possessed an anti-matter reactor as the main power source, no one had successfully produced a weapon with that level of pure destructiveness.  Yes, the Narn had energy mines, but they were nothing like what just hit them.  However, right now life-support was a priority.   He had just ordered the destruction of the data stores when he froze in his tracks.  The standard _Primus_ carried a standard crew of two hundred twelve and a compliment of five hundred soldiers- many of them dead or injured now- but none of _his_ crew looked even remotely like what was facing him.  It looked vaguely Humanoid with sharpened teeth, dull gray armor, with a truly ugly looking gun in one hand and something like a curved sword in the other. 

The matter-energy conversion  technology, he surmised dryly.  The other part of him was enraged that his bridge had been so easily invaded.  He didn't have much time to remain upset about being breeched because an alien hand had grabbed his neck and very roughly slammed him into his chair.  

"You dared attack an imperial Klingon cruiser and expected to live?" the Klingon growled.  

By the look of the Klingons' body movements, Pallott thought he was about to be slapped-hard.  "You wanted a war?  Well, you have it!"

Big or not, the Centauri refused to be completely intimidated.  "The Centauri traveled the stars as giants for a thousand years," he said, reciting the standard dogma of his people.  "We do so again.  In the Emperor's name we do so again.  We take what we want."

The Klingon smiled at him, a truly hideous thing to see.  "Good," he said, approving of the captain's statement.  "Good," he repeated.  "You understand.  We will take what we want and leave you your worthless lives, unless you wish to try to stop us."   

The Captain knew a threat when he saw one.  He remained still.  

His second in command however, hadn't.  He was backed into the far corner, by another one of those ugly Humanoids speaking roughly to him.  Defiantly, he spit in the creature's face.  The Klingon roared in delight, produced a particularly wicked looking knife and jammed it into his officers' chest and ripped it out.  

His officer had screamed and slumped down to the floor.  Blood splattered everywhere.  The Klingon then pulled his gun and shot him in the leg.  His officer gurgled and his entire body disintegrated before Pallott's terrified eyes.   The weapon's energy took about three seconds to complete its job and he imagined that that must have been an eternity to his unfortunate officer.  

As he tore his eyes from the vapor remain of his man, he noticed for the first time the other darker-hued Klingon next to the first one.

"I am Worf," the alien said.  "Cooperate.  There is no dishonor in falling before a superior enemy."

"You think this is over," Pallott answered.  "It isn't.  If I die, it makes no difference. We will come until you are destroyed.  Cartagia will not allow you or anyone of your kind to live after what you and Federation friends and _Babylon Five_ have done to us.  Give up and die quickly.  You days are numbered like the fingers on my hands."

Worf's first instinct was to slap him senseless for daring not to cooperate.  He wanted to give peace a chance, to show that his people were not the kill crazy beings that the Federation had painted them to be for so long.  This appeared to be the perfect opportunity.  But the Centauri was correct.  They needed time if they were going to survive and Klingons excelled at surviving.  That's why they had redundant everythings.

"What you have said is true," he said pleasantly.  "Two our my people were killed.  You have declared war.  We will respond. Blood screams for blood."  Worf moved towards the nearest computer console, placed a Klingon tricorder on top of it and began downloading the Centauri computer cores data.  When finished he smiled wickedly at the Centauri Captain, gave an order in his native language and a moment later, the entire Klingon contingent of thirty de-materialized. 

Onboard _K'mpec's Honor_ Worf nodded to the Captain and transmitted the message to _Babylon Five_.  They were at a state of war now with the Centauri government and Klingons were not known for their passive personalities.  The message was beamed directly to former ambassador G'Kar's telecomm.  It was simple and short.  _To citizen G'Kar of the Narn regime, the words you have spoken have been found to be true.  Your enemies are now our enemies.  Gather your ships and prepare them for the transformation.  We formally entreat with you, honored one.  Our weapons, our technology and our bodies are now joined together against a common enemy_.

Klingon Cruiser cloaked and warped out of the system, the destination- Centauri Prime.

It took approximately three days at warp eight point five to reach the outer edge of the Sol system and during that time, Captain Sisko was tempted twice to abort the mission and return to _Babylon Five_.  First, the Minbari were attacked by some as yet unknown race and then the Centauri tried to hijack the Klingon cruiser.  Obviously, the Centauri were out of their minds but the overall chain of events set off warning bells throughout his entire body. The Shadow attack, the Centauri, the attacks against the Minbari, there almost seemed to be a pattern.  Lines were being drawn and he wondered just were would he and his people be when push came to shove.  

His ship took an extended route and skimmed just past sensor range of several groups of heavy Earth cruisers, out in force.  Oh, how he wished he had a cloaking device on the _Yeager_!  But, one couldn't have everything.  He was in command and would make due with the resources that he had.  That was enough.  

His first officer, Lieutenant Commander Lawson Williams sat in his chair to the left and behind his Captain.  They had both been ground-pounders for the last four years, fighting Klingons on at least five planetary systems, sometimes hand to hand.  His opinions of Klingons bordered on respect, even if their so-called skills were somewhat overrated.  Now, they were command of a Starship, something that they had trained for in the first place.  He still couldn't quite believe that they were in charge of the _Yeager_.  

"Our 'guests' are quiet again."

"It's about time," Sisko murmured.  "Bester has a very inventive mind.  Some of the things he called me, made me want shoot him out of an airlock."  He looked at his first officer.  Then he nodded.  "You know why he tried so hard."

"Yes."  Williams shook his head wistfully.  "Ensign Shapua caught him trying to read us at least three times."

The last time Sisko had been informed of Bester's little probing, he had both of them transported to their shuttle he was tractoring and then released the tractor at nearly warp one.  The shuttle went bouncing everywhere before the _Yeager_ re-established the lock.  Inside the shuttle Bester and Jackie received a chilling message from Sisko.   

"Don't play with me," they heard over the shuttle communications system.  "Your life's hanging by a thread.  I will space you and the message will be delivered even if you're not."  

The communication closed.  They had been quiet since the incident.   At three hundred thousand miles passed Jupiter heading towards Mars now traveling nearly three quarters light speed, the Federation Starship _Yeager_ had decelerated hard from warp eight.  They didn't have much time.  Already sensors had been tripped all over the system.  Two_ Novas _and an _Omega_-class destroyer were already vectoring in on them. 

"Prepare the probe."

"Probe ready."

"Launch and send the shuttle on its way.

The class two probe launched at high speed, headed directly towards Earth.  At the same time the _Yeager's _tractor beam swung the Psi-Corps shuttle after it.   The probe's specialized communications system began transmitting, the signal being strong enough to burn through any jamming system in the area.  ISN and other programming were rudely interrupted.  Everyone from Io to Venus would see the visuals.

_I am Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Federation battleship _Enterpris_e_, he began. _As I speak to the people of Earth, I also speak to those on Mars as well as all the colonies, which had been threatened and attacked by the very people that are assigned to protect them.  My comrades and I are representatives of the Federation of Planets, an organization composed of different species working together for the common good of all.  We are not from your sector of space and we have every intention of returning to ours.  And yes, we are at war with another government but we have no intentions of breaking our charter to support and aid the very people we are fighting and dying for.  However, there are certain formalities that must be addressed.  Because of those convictions, we could not stand by and watch as elements of Earth Force willfully attacked their own space station filled with Humans and a half million beings from over a dozen different races, in violation of the very laws and constitution they are sworn to protect.  _

_Your President and News network, specifically ISN, have spoken many speculations, half truths, and outright lies as to who we are and what we have done.  Yes, we have defended _Babylon Five_ and its officers and crew and the civilians from those who would callously take their lives to satisfy a petty dictator whose influence has terrified a planetary system.  And we will continue to do so with everything we have until this civil war is over or until the Captain of _Babylon Five_ asks us to leave.  If he does, we will do so.  Until then, beware.  In the shuttle we are returning to you are two members of the Psi-Corps who tried to murder several members of my crew because of the secret agendas they uncovered._

_And I say to President Clarke, the man who allegedly had his predecessor assassinated in order to rise to power, don't worry about us.  I say beware of those who are your closest supporters.  The Psi-Corps agenda has you in their sites. This information was extracted from a Psi-Corps officer whom we are returning to you.  I understand that this information will not hold up in a court of law but I am sure you will find it interesting nonetheless.  There are a list of things you should be aware of which include psychic enhancing drugs, murders, and blackmail.  Here is the record for your consideration.  What you do with it is up to you… _

On Earth, Clarke watched the video feed alone inside his office.  He wrote on his notepad furiously.  Alternating between listening to the words and writing, he whispered to himself, as a man on the edge.  He imagined himself as power.  They had promised him power, but now he was alone and his enemies were at the gate, knocking at the door, or at least sending a message.  He knew about most of this information and Psi-Corps knew about his exploits.  It was considered an I-don't-tell-you-don't-tell sort of hush-hush secret.  But now it was exposed and those secrets would kill. This was something that no amount of damage control could fully contain.  All those months of carefully controlling the media, of manipulations of key officials, and military personnel, of consolidating his power base had just been blown out of the water by this one continuously repeating message.   His only choice of action was apparent.  Blame Psi-Corps for everything and purge them wherever they were.  He would let the military deal with them now.  He had no choice but to take out the Psi-Corps before they killed him.  

"How is it that Sheridan drew such people to him?" he screamed inside his sound proofed office.  Up until now, Sheridan and _B5_ were an aggravation, an annoyance that he would crush in the near future.   The fact that Sheridan had broken away from Earth had given Clarke the opportunity to help prove that there was an alien led conspiracy attempting to subvert Humanity from within.  His power base had grown, but then things began to happen and those alien ships made the President appear effectively impotent.  People were looking at _B5_ with more sympathy than suspicion and anger.   When Mr. Morden suggested the Centauri deal could with them, he had agreed readily enough.  It was a simple, easy plan.  Now the Military Intelligence hyperspace channel was filled with the news of the Centauri rout at _B5_.  Those colonist vessels were too much of a threat and Earth Force was still months away from any possibility of a successful counterstrike.  And now, this debacle had slapped him in the face.   Someone would pay dearly for this.  Sheridan, how he began to hate that name now, would be the one, him and his allies.    

The crew of the _Yeager_ shadowed the satellite and shuttle carefully as the transmission made its third and final broadcast, keeping just out of weapons range of two EAS vessels right behind.  There was now a third combat vessel attempting to intercept them.  However, that ship's position was poor and was therefore was not considered a threat at this moment.  

"That's it," Williams said.  "The third transmission.  Time to go."

There was a running bet to see if Earth Force would blow the shuttle out of space in order to stop the satellite's transmission.  So far they hadn't.

"Vector away," Sisko ordered.  "Set a course for _Babylon Five_."

The small starship began its acceleration, when the helmswoman abruptly changed course.  At least four jump points appeared directly in front of them allowing four EAS destroyers and their accompanying Star Furies to effectively cut off that avenue to escape.  The tiny Federation vessel proceeded to outrun them in the new heading.

"Transmit the destruct signal."

"Yes, sir."

The signal was transmitted and the broadcast satellite's photon self-destruct imploded, leaving nothing for Earth forces to examine.  

"Chief O'Brien, we're going to need everything bit of power you have down there in a few moments."

"You'll have it," came the answer.  

"Captain Sisko, we have a transmission from the lead ship."

"Battle stations," he ordered.  Immediately, the lighting dimmed to a dark red and the crew could literally feel the small ship powering up.  Shields went up and the twin phaser array had set itself to auto-recharge.  

"They've fired on us."

A heavy particle beam from the main weapons of the lead ship passed within less than two kilometers of the _Yeager_."

"Don't worry," Sisko responded casually.  "It's just a ranging shot."  There was nothing that Earth Force currently had could stop a _Saber_-class starship one-on-one, and it would be even money two-on-one.  However seven-to-one would be pushing it a little.  Communications signaled.  "They want to make sure we're listening.  Put him onscreen."

The screen came alive and tall serious-looking African-American male was staring him in the face with one of the better poker faces he'd seen in a long time.  He matched the stare, staring hard at the other Captain.  His face was interesting, in some ways reminding him Jake if his son had reach that age.  For a mere instant, his eyes glazed as he remembered what could have been.  It didn't matter anymore.   

"I'm Captain Leonard Anderson of the EAS _Charon_," the face on the screen said.  "May I ask to whom I am addressing?"

"Captain Benjamin Sisko of the Federation Starship _Yeager_.  How can I help you, Captain?"

The stone-faced Anderson cracked for an instant.  "It appears that you've violated several dozen laws that my superiors would be more than interested in addressing with you.  So if you come along politely, my support and I won't have to shoot holes in you and drag your behinds back to our base. This would not be in your best interests, if you force me to come after you," he growled.

"Actually, we were just leaving."

"I can't allow that, Captain Sisko."

To the side, Sisko saw William's motion.  He understood.  It was clear that they were trying to encircle the _Yeager_ to prevent its escape.  At this moment, the EAS was playing for time.  But right now he needed to say something.  _I guess Rachel is_ _getting to me._   

"You can't allow it?" he repeated soberly.  "But you've sided in the murdering of your own citizens.  You've condoned the murder of your own people."

"I'm a loyal Earth Force officer enforcing the rules of our lawful President and you are trespassing in Earth territory," Anderson answered a little too quickly.  "Surrender, now."

"Are you married, Captain?" 

Leonard was taken back by that question from far left field.  He felt compelled to answer.  

"Yes."

Sisko took a breath and his eyes narrowed.  "Then treasure them.  Don't die on the wrong side, Captain Anderson."  

Captain Sisko pointed at his first officer.  Williams nodded and the _Yeager's_ type eight phaser beams passed within fifteen meters of the _Charon_ both above and below the destroyer shaking it violently, Sisko's version of a ranging shot.  He watched as the crew on the EAS destroyer glanced nervously at one another as they realized that they were well within the _Yeager's_ strike capability.   The energy wave caused the image to be lost momentarily due to electro-magnetic discharge.  However, Anderson never blinked.  

Sisko moved his hand in a small wave to acknowledge his adversary.  The screen went blank.  "Let's go.  Warp six.  Do it."

The _Yeager's_ warp engines powered up and in less than four milliseconds it had jumped into warp, headed proudly, defiantly out of the star system.  The crews of the _Charon _and the other EAS ships watched in awe as the small vessel simply went away.  They couldn't turn or train their weapons in time to even attempt an approximation of a firing solution.

"It's true," Anderson said to Commander Trent.  "They don't generate jump points to travel FTL.   Did we gather the data on their transit?"

"Eh, yes," the man, tearing himself away for the sensor screen said.  "We did.  How do they do that?"  He rubbed his chin deep in thought.  "I'm glad we didn't have to destroy her.  I would love to see what makes her tick."

The grim Captain turned to face his commander.   "Sisko could have taken us out any time he wanted.  That ship's weapons range is more than twice ours.  He was doing us a favor."

"Earth force is ready.  We have his destination and they're laying mines along his probable route.  Maybe we'll get lucky and see if we can knock it out.  

"We obviously can't handle the big ones, so let's pick on the little ones," he added sarcastically.

"Sir," Trent whispered.  "Be careful."

Leonard sighed heavily.  "Don't worry about me.  I'm okay.  I will do my duty.  But I feel trapped and I don't like it."

"Most of us do, sir," whispered again.  

"Let's see if we can catch them," the Captain said loud enough for the entire crew to hear.  "Prepare for Jump.  Let's see if we can intercept them before they can get to _B5_."

"Sir, we're receiving a transmission from Earth Force, hyperspace channel three.   It's General Brindley."

"Patch it thru," Anderson ordered.

_"Were you able to secure the_ Yeager?" the stone-faced General barked at him.  

"Negative, sir."  His timing had been impeccable.  _Too much so, in fact_.  "They were too fast.  We couldn't get close enough."

The General nodded once.  The Captain surmised by Brindley's expression that he had expected that answer.  _"Your orders are to pursue via jump space.  Do not attempt to overtake, which may not be possible anyway.  Simply make the attempt.  I do not want us to anything that might provoke them into responding.  And do not enter _B5 _space."_

"But, sir…"

_"It would be a waste of time and a waste of manpower and materiel.  I don't expect the mines to even slow them down but if they avoid them then that will tell us a lot about their sensors.  True, its small but it's as lethal as anything you've come across.  Leave them alone for now.  When we're ready, we'll deal with them.  I'm sending you this transmission we've accumulated on the Latest _B5_ attack.  A day and a half ago, the Centauri attack squadron consisting of at least twenty or more ships just got their butts handed to them by B5 forces, the Clingkons and the Fed battleships."_

"How bad was it?"__

_"They butchered close to the entire fleet, which punctuates my point.  Going up directly against them is absolute folly."_

"Sir, why did the Centauri attack them?"

_"We don't know for sure but it doesn't matter.  The point is that they're acting up and we may have to deal with them first.  I am sending Earth Force the data we received.  Their Intel was the same as ours but they didn't act on it.   Our ships need to understand what we're up against at _B5_ so that we understand that we are not ready yet to go up against them.  Besides, there are reports that the Minbari have been attacked and the Vorlons as well.   We may be pulled into another war very soon.   We may have to leave _B5_ on the back burner for now."_

"Yes, sir," he responded as the vid signal cut off.  He nodded to the Commander, then turned back staring at the stars before they cut off into a swirling cauldron.   But he really didn't notice the dark beauty churning in front of his eyes.  All he could see was his wife and little girl and the guards silently watching them in the night.  The _Charon_ and the three of the destroyers turned and entered jump space to chase down a ship they had no intention of catching.  

Onboard the _White Star's_, or what was now being called _White Star One's,_ return flight from _Babylon Four_, Delenn, Captain Sheridan and the others sat in silence, absorbing the impact of their experiences on the older space station which was now traveling –or had traveled back, conceptualizing temporal mechanics made people crazy-into the past almost a thousand years, to be a vanguard in a war that seemed to be recycling itself.  Commander Sinclair was gone now, fulfilling his destiny in that distant past as the 'One who was'.   Kosh had said to Delenn once that the circle completes itself and now she understood what he had meant.   How she felt about her friend Sinclair, no one but her would ever fully know.  There had been something between the two of them, but it never had been given a chance to grow and now he was gone, never to return.  However there was someone here for her and that someone was John.  How could she ever possibly love a Human?  Any Minbari would consider her mad, but her she was slowly committing herself to this Human male.  She smiled at the irony because she was part Human also, a small portion really, but still a part.    Did that make a difference?  

Delenn suspected in the long run the answer was no even thought it most likely did play a part.  She was bonding to the man and he was responding, not as a member of his species but simply as a man.  For both of them that was enough and as they became closer, nothing would separate them from one another.  Some Human had written that marriage or the bonding of one soul to another was the universe's way of emotional cohesion; designed to fight against all the forces designed to tear that bond apart.  If that intangible essence called love was strong enough, nothing could tear it apart, except the two souls that had joined to each other.   For now she was content.  What would come would come. This of course always happened sooner rather than later she mused.  

Prophetically, the instant the _White Star_ exited the temporal zone heading towards _Babylon Five_, two Minbari warships exited jump space almost on top of them, bracketing the small combat vessel.  

"It's the _BrightStar," _said Lennier, the Minbari attaché to Delenn, after a moment.  "Captain Menroi wishes to speak to you Delenn.  He is most agitated."

"Put him on."

The bald headed Captain bowed slightly, acknowledging Sheridan, standing next to Delenn, before he started.  _"We have been attacked."_

The female Minbari, the others as well looked absolutely shocked as Menroi related the details of the multi-pronged attack.

_"You must come back with us, Delenn,"_ he implored.  _"The Counsel has requested your presence in the preparation against our enemies."_

She was uncertain.  "I am not sure that the Grey counsel wishes my presence-"

_"We wish it,"_ he interrupted_.  "You know what is at stake.  The Shadows are on the move and our unknown enemy strikes without mercy, keeping us off-balance and stopping us from aiding the Vorlons.  Our people need your presence to give them hope and stability in these dark times.  They know what has happened, how you broke the counsel.  Many have felt uncomfortable because of what you have done, but many more have seen the strength you possess. You can unite us during this time.  You can be the bond that holds us together.  The worker and religious castes are…uncertain of their relationship with the warrior caste.  We are fragile, now.  The people will gather around you, Satai."_

"I am no longer Satai."

_You are always Satai, Delenn."_

John's action was immediate.  "You have to go, Delenn.  We at_ B5_ will help in any way we can.  Without the Minbari, we won't have much of a chance in keeping the other races together.  Your people need you now."

_"It's more complicated than that, Captain.  A few hours ago, the Centauri attacked _Babylon Five_ with an entire battle group."  _

Sheridan gripped the seat of his chair so hard his fingernails began to bleed.   "Why?" was all he could manage to say at that moment and a thousand images passed thru his mind, none of them pleasant. 

_"It appears they were after the Klingon vessel," _Menroi growled.  _"What has our attention is that the attacks on Minbari territories happened precisely at the same time the Centauri arrived at _B5_.  The closer our territory was to the station the worse the severities of the attacks were that occurred.  We had no choice but to protect them and abandon _B5_,"_ he said, ashamed of what he had been forced to do.   _"But the Centauri knew and they waited until we forced to leave to attack."_

 "What happened to _Babylon Five_?"  Susan yelled, unable to control herself.   Marcus Cole, a Ranger and the man in love with Susan stood next to her, fists tight.  Both of them were beside themselves with worry.

"B5's _defenses, the Federation battle cruisers and their enemy ally eliminated the opposition most effectively.   It is safe, but the Centauri will have much to answer for.  They are tied with those who attacked us and there will be a reckoning."_

John understood what that meant.  "Delenn, you have to go."

"John-"

"This is too big.  The balloon and a few of its brothers have just gone up.  We're both needed."  He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed.  "Come back safe.  We'll both keep a candle lit until we come together again.  "

_"As will we,"_ Menroi announced.  _"Tell your people and your allies that the warrior caste said that they fought well."_

A few minutes later, Delenn transferred to the _BrightStar_ and all ships hastened to their destinations and their destiny.


	20. Chapter 20

**                Chapter Twenty**

**_"Between the Light and the Darkness, We Stand"_**

Morden sat back, had a sip of his precious chardonnay and smiled at the darkness surrounding him.  He had returned home, resting in his quarters on Z'ha'dum where since his enlightenment he called home.  There a few Humans here settled on this dark world, doing the business of their associates.  And there were others here also, the Drakh, and those called the 'Dark ones', warrior beings who were able to pass thru the very walls themselves to get at their prey.  There were others here also, different species, different attitudes but all called this place home.  Their goals were one in the same- the improvement of all species.  But improvement came through strife and conflict.  

Peaceful civilization was a joke.  Stagnation was the inevitable result, causing species to die out as they became weaker succumbing to entropy.  Those that strived and survived in the mists of conflict were the ones who improved and grew.  The Shadows lived by that creed believing in their truisms with a dedication that defied Human understanding.  The destruction resulting because of the blossoming war had nothing to do with death as much as it had to do with life.  When it was over the races that survived would be stronger, smarter, the forced growth producing superior species.  The addition of the Federation had actually helped matters.  Their strength was considered a level to ascribe to by the younger races, which served the purposes of the Shadows perfectly.  The Centauri were fools to attack them without any consideration to the reports they had received.  But that fight had opened previously closed eyes and now they were preparing for an all out war with _B5 _and the Earth Alliance in the near future.  Two egos like Cartagia and Clarke couldn't live in this universe without trying to kill one another.  That would be an interesting war.  

The Vorlons had always foolishly believed that growth resulted for obedience and inner contemplation.  'Who are you' was Vorlon question for the ages.  They treated the younger races like little children, he thought contemptuously.  But now the tide had turned and they had been caught unawares and that had made the difference.  There weren't that many of them in the first place, only a few hundred million, a clear example of entropy as a race that had clung to closely to their ways slowly died out.  Vorlon children were rare whereas the Shadows were prepared to spread across this galaxy. 

But first, _Babylon Five_ or more importantly Captain John Sheridan would have to be dealt with.  It would be ruinous if Sheridan continued to insist upon gathering the races together for form some type of grand alliance, everybody working together from the good of all.  Screw that.  _Babylon Five_ was destined to be a center for war, not a haven for peace.  That was a job for the Drakh and Centauri, stress out John and his people until his masters could concentrate on them properly.  Therefore John needed to be distracted. A gentle knocking at his door interrupted his thoughts. 

"Come in."

An older man stepped through the door, slowly walked in and sat down. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"Not at all," Morden responded. "Would you like a glass? It's a very good vintage."

"No, thanks," the older man said. "I just wanted to talk to you for a little while, touch base so to speak.   I haven't seen you since you returned from Centauri Prime. I hear that Cartagia is fit to be tied."

Morden smiled, took a sip of wine and smile once again. "I hear he's frightened now. Imagine-a god being frightened," he joked.

"I can imagine. Congratulations," Justin laughed. "There's nothing worse than having a madman with an army behind him, afraid that his enemy might come visiting in the night. You've just lit a match to the entire sector. This is a unique opportunity. The Vorlons and the other First Ones can't stop us this time. In fact, there is really nothing to stop us this time in achieving want we had set out so long to do. The dream can be achieved in our lifetime."

Lord Refa stood motionless, his face plastered with the best smile he could muster as his Emperor berated him with some of the vilest insults he had ever been witnessed to.

"You said it would be easy!" Cartagia screamed, his voice being carried through the room loud enough so that the over one hundred people in court could hear him clearly. "'One small ship would be easy to capture' you said. Its precious technology would be ours for the taking because it would not dare stand up to our Imperial squadron. Twenty-four ships and how many returned? Tell me!"

"Three confirmed," Refa muttered as he glanced quickly at a stone-faced Mollari standing off to the side. "It appears that the squadron met unexpected resistance from the Federation Earthers and _B5_."

"Unexpected resistance," mocked Cartagia. "How quaint. Lord Refa, the Royal Court has been made the laughing stock of the entire sector. The Narns shouted with glee when they heard of the defeat. We had to kill hundreds of them to get them out of the streets. And my people mourn the loss of some many loyal soldiers. You've given me bad advice Refa."

Refa felt as though his hair had shrank an inch, because he knew a death sentence when he heard one. "My Lord, Mollari failed to tell us the extent of the power allied against us. He-"

"Don't blame Londo," the Emperor countered. "He was the only one who tried to dissuade Us from this foolish action. The lack of information is your responsibility. Your and yours alone." Cartagia moved closer almost touching Refa's nose with his own. "You were wrong about them."

Refa exerted every bit of will power he had to keep from fainting.

"You were right, however," he continued, "about the threat they represent." Smiling viciously at Lord Refa, clearly enjoying the man's unmitigated terror, he moved off. "The Klingon ship has since been seen in Centauri territory. "Four of our border ships have been destroyed, including one of our heavy warships. Their course of actions is clear. They intend to come here, to Centauri Prime, find out our secrets and report back to _Babylon Five_."

Refa looked at his leader, totally perplexed by that last statement.

"I've have had a lot of time to think about this," Cartagia intoned, making grand gestures with his hands pointed to the sky. I have talked to my advisors and we have agreed. This is all a grand ploy by the Earth government to conquer Centauri Prime. That entire spectacle with _Babylon Five_ was simply a ploy to put them into this position to strike. There is no Federation, only Earth Force prototypes. The whole story is a fake," the Emperor announced waving his hands hysterically.  "Klingons are simply an unknown people the Humans discovered, who they are now in league with, to take over our territories. That's why Clarke didn't have _B5_ destroyed when he had the chance. That's why he agreed so readily when I made the suggestion to capture the ship. He wanted to test its firepower against our ships. He didn't care about his station because he knew it was safe. There was no way we could have destroyed it. But he made a mistake."

A very relieved Refa watched the mad Emperor carefully. He hated to bring Cartagia's attraction back to him but he had to know.  "Sir, I don't understand."

Cartagia returned back to Refa. "Of course not," he whispered. "You're not the one evolving to godhood. How could you possibly understand?" In a grand gesture, he turned to everyone. "President Clarke set this little show up so that he could access our determination and strength.  He plans to make war against us. It was all a ploy. Earth feels that it's strong enough to conquer us. Well, they are wrong. We will strike them first before they have a chance to incorporate their new weapons in mass against us."

Cartagia nodded and his officers left. "We will strike at Earth first. If they think what has happened to Narn war brutal, wait until the see what happens to their precious planet." 

_The mad fool has just declared war on Earth_, Londo's mind screamed. _He doesn't care about the destruction of our world. The Minbari are about to come to our world in force. The Drakh fly over our world as if it were theirs. And no one has the courage to stand up to him before it is too late. _He bowed his head slight to keep from crying.

_Not even me._

"What is wrong, my dear Londo?" the Emperor asked. "Are you sad for the Humans? Don't worry. I'm sure that there will be a few left when this is over."

"I'm sad that so many of our people will lose their lives, my Lord," he said honestly. 

"In death comes strength, Mollari. Our associates have made that truth clear. Many will die but we will be the stronger for it and together we will walk this universe as the gods we were meant to be."

"But the Minbari will come." And come they would. They couldn't fail to see the hundreds of Drakh ships flying side by side with the Centauri. 

"Let them," he countered. "The Drakh will fight them and if they cannot defeat them, then when the Shadows finish with the Vorlons they will personally destroy those loathsome aliens."

Londo bowed even as he cursed his master. "What about our people on _Babylon Five_?"

"When one sacrifices one's life for his people it is truly a glorious cause," he laughed. "I'm sure they understand."

_White Star One_ exited the _Babylon Five_ Jump gate and the crew again bore witness to a scene that was becoming all too familiar. This time the wreckage floating near the station contained the wreckage of Centauri warships. Surprisingly there was a lot less wreckage than the Captain and crew had anticipated. The cleanup crews had obviously been hard at work removing the tons of micro-debris left from the remains of the battle.

Almost before they were thru the gate, Captain Hiroshi was on the horn. 

"Glad to have all of you back! We've had some problems here as you can see. Before you ask, the Station's damaged but okay. The plating worked wonderfully."

Sheridan surveyed everything before he spoke. "Why did they attack our station? What could we possibly have had for them to attack us like this?"

"They claimed to be after the Klingon ship, some nonsense about them spying on Centauri territory. But they had over two-dozen heavy warships and the majority of them were pointed in our direction. They intended to attack us whether we got involved or not. I believed that they intended to destroy this station. The good thing is that we loss only three_ Century_ Star Furies and one of the modified _Thunderbolts_. I lost Higgins. His wingman made it back from the hyperspace wash but we lost Gerald."

Ten minutes later, she finished her report.

Sheridan was enraged. This had happened once before, albeit on a smaller scale but the pattern was the same. That time they tried to blow him up. But this time it would be different because he wasn't about to give them a chance to try it again. "Captain Hiroshi I want you to round up every Centauri on the station. I want them off in the next twelve hours. Contact Centauri Prime and tell them come and collect them before I have them all shoved out the nearest airlock." 

Commander Ivanova was shocked by the enormity of the report. Captain, where's all the wreckage? Surely you couldn't have cleared it up in so short a time? How'd you do it?"

"Ivanova, there wasn't that much of them to clean up."

For once, the crew of the _White Star_ wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

A trembling Vir Cotto pushed his way thru the crowd of his people to speak to a very angry Sheridan. He too remembered what had happened when a vengeful Centauri attempted to kill Captain Sheridan after a Centauri warship had been destroyed while trying to destroy a crippled Narn cruiser. "Captain, I want to, that is I would like to speak to you, if it isn't too much trouble."

"And I want to talk to you too, Vir," responded a very angry Sheridan. "What were your people doing out there? Haven't they caused enough trouble over the last few months, attacking the non-aligned worlds, killing the Narns left and right, after you've turned half their planet into a wasteland? What can you possibly talk to me that can justify this incredibly stupid act? Did you even consider the lives of your own people on this station not to mention the half million people you almost killed?"

Vir grasped his hands rubbing them violently as he prepared to answer. "It wasn't us, I mean it wasn't me. I didn't know that my people were coming here to start a fight. If I had known, I would have-"

"Would have what?"

The short Centauri gasped. "I would have told you everything. You must understand. Emperor Cartagia isn't, well, stable. He didn't tell any of the Centauri what was about to happen here because he was expecting us to die with the station. Captain, we can't go back. He'll kill us all."

"That's not my problem, Vir."

"Captain Sheridan, You know me. You know what I did to help the Narn. I would have never have condoned the destruction of this station. Sir, I am a loyal Centauri citizen, but I want to stay here. I can't help my people from home. There are things there that I can't fight at home. Things you need to know."

Sheridan waved him into a private room followed by Susan and Garibaldi. The second they entered the room they surrounded him and waited.

"Cartagia," he plunged in. "As I said before, is not stable. In fact he's quite mad. More than mad actually. But there's more. He's made a deal with Mr. Morden's associates. I think they wanted the station destroyed. I believe that my people are going to star a war with someone very soon and Morden is behind it. I can't fight him from there, but I can make a difference here."

As Sheridan evaluated the slightly plump Centauri, his mind churned furiously. Point in fact, he liked Vir and he more or less trusted him more so than Londo nowadays. Michael Garibaldi was the first to speak after Vir left the room. 

"Normally I would say send him back. The last thing we need is a spy for the Centauri Government in the middle of this crisis. But when you come down to it he's caused us a lot less problems than Londo ever has and he has kept his promises to us."

"Not to mention that little Narn episode a few months back," Susan added. "We're still using that cover he made. And I might add, it is pretty good to work for so long."

"And," Michael added. "He's doing the same thing that we're doing right now and for the same reasons. It's just that it's one of him. I'm not saying that we trust him completely but even G'Kar has made peace with him and that says a lot."

"I agree," Sheridan answered, nodding his head. "Point in fact is that I do trust him. But for his sake, I think I'll give him some cover in case he Centauri government gets too curious about the real reason why he's here. I want Marcus to be his personal bodyguard."

"Why him?"

"Because he's high profile and will help give the impression that Vir is under house guard, a perfectly understandable reaction. Plus he can serve as a true bodyguard as the need arises. Unlike us, Vir is alone and if he makes this stand then I want to make sure he doesn't make it unaided. Personally, I understand how he feels."

"We all do."

"Then it's agreed."

"Good," Michael said. "Now, why didn't you tell me that Captain Sinclair was on board _B5_?"

Susan sighed. _Here it comes_…

A week had passed since the attack by the Centauri fleet and in that time the Klingon Marauder hunted down and destroyed six Centauri warships of various classes.  Attacking from a rear, cloaked position, the enemy ships never had a chance.  The consensus onboard _K'mpec's Honor_ was simple-since the enemy started the fight first everything was fair game.  However that was not how Worf had seen it and he had made that forcefully clear in the days since.

"We are to do reconnaissance first," he had told the crew.  "There is no honor in destroying helpless prey.  Civilian ships should not be targeted."

"And why not? Koss had asked.  "We were dishonorably attacked first.  The enemy lied and tried to capture us.  Should we not destroy them where they are?"

Surprisingly, Worf noted that the comment was more than a point of interest rather than a full challenge.  He felt encouraged. 

"We are only one ship," he answered simply.

"All the more reason to destroy all life on Centauri Prime," countered the young Klingon.  "No one would dare attack us again.  Destroy our enemies.  It is the way of the warrior." 

"You are wrong," Worf had countered.  "We would be hated and then hunted down like maddened targs.  "The non-combatants do not deserve such a fate."  His face never cracked but inside his mind everything was a whirl.  In many ways, this was the same argument that had caused Betazoid to be bombed.  He would not have that responsibility on his liver, unless it proved to be a necessity and right now, it wasn't.  "We need allies, a support base powerful enough to defeat our enemies.  _Babylon_ _Five_ is strong, but they are only one station.  The Humans and others there have proven their honor but eventually they will be destroyed unless they have allies strong enough to support them.  The Federation ships even with our support cannot survive against the continued attacks to come."

"All the more reason to sterilize the enemy," Koss retorted.  But it was an empty argument, without heart enough to make it real to the others.

Now, their Narn allies were weakened, but their hearts were strong and the thirst for vengeance and the need to regain what was theirs would give them strength, make them strong.  It was well documented-all races fought harder when invaded or trying to regain what was theirs from the beginning.  The Narn were such a people.  

The return scans from their cloaked satellite inserted deep into the Centauri home system, had detected hundreds of Centauri vessels and those bizarre arrow ships of all different sizes and shapes.  Even one of the so-called Shadow vessels had been observed over the Homeworld.  At the Captain's insistence, the recordings were transmitted directly to the Federation starships.  Worf's heart soared with the possibilities brought about by that action.  The hatred and distrust of the Federation was breaking-just a little, if only here and nowhere else.

All the signs were clear.  The Centauri were planning a war against someone.  A perhaps, reckless charge on the planet would be a futile gesture, the success not be worth the price that would have to be paid.  Besides he and Captain Koral were in agreement.  They would not be pulled into another war by someone else's manipulations and that by all accounts, was exactly what the Shadows seemed intent on doing.  Their opinion was that if a planet needed destroying, they would be ones who choose how it's done.   

"We have detected the Narn war craft.  Six million kilicams."

"Move towards them."   

Even from that distance they could detect the Narn heavy cruiser's considerable battle damage sustained in multiple engagements with the Centauri. 

"De-cloak!"  

With this action the Klingons would seal their bargain with G'Kar.  There was an old saying among his people-allies in words, allies in blood.

The Klingon vessel shifted into view less than a kilometer from the surprised Narns.  Captain Koral loved doing that to those who had never experienced a cloaked vessel appearing on top of them.   "Hail them."

"They respond."

"This is Captain Koral of the Klingon vessel _K'mpec's Honor_," he announced evenly, as non-threatening as possible.  "We are here to assist you in the repair and upgrading of your ship.   Have your engineers ready.  We will transport now."

The Narn Captain, recovering from his shock of the hostile-looking craft hovering next to his ship, simply nodded.

An hour later a female Klingon engineering specialist called Kal'criss was growling at her Narn engineering counterpart as both of them inched deep into the guts of the weapons ports.  "The crystal used to focus your energy emitters are cracked," she growled.  "You couldn't destroy a shuttle with this power rating."  It was an exaggeration of course but she had gotten her point across.

"We have not been able to effect repairs," G'ton responded hotly, which seemed, he discovered, to be the best way to respond to the uncouth female.   "We are one of the last free ships.  We are constantly pressed by the Centauri."

Kal'criss nodded in understanding.  Being alone was rough.  "We need to change the energy converters to make them compatible.  Your particle weapons will be able to channel the new disruptor beams properly. Then your enemies will be in for a surprise," she snapped at him happily."  

G'ton smiled.  He liked what he was hearing.  

In engineering, there were also new components being added.  The navigational and deflector screen generators were being hooked into their respective consoles and again compatibilities with the power relays played havoc with the configurations.  But the Narns were more than used to jury-rigging equipment, and the procedure went more smoothly than many had anticipated.   The Klingons had a clear purpose, a real agenda now and were in a good mood.  They began replacing the Narn energy mine warheads with their own photon yields.  The Narn accepted eagerly and reciprocated with detailed information on jump-point computations utilized by their own FTL systems.  It was a makeshift alliance born out of desperation and casual conversations between a single, homeless Narn and a castaway crew of lost souls.  What would become of this alliance and the additions to follow would prove be the first line of defense against eternal night.

**The Minbari Flagship:**

"Is it true?  Tell me!"  

"Yes.  It is true, Delenn," Neroon answered.  The look in his eyes said it all and the Satai recoiled.

"I do not understand.  Our people have been attacked and you wish to focus mainly on the warrior caste, because you consider them of more value that the others during this time of crisis?  Explain this to me," she hotly demanded.

"Our people need guidance, Delenn," he answered rather defensively.  Being a member of the warrior caste, his answers to the Satai as a whole usually bordered on arrogance.  And he never had a great love for Delenn.  But things change and the rift within was almost as bad as the war without.

"Since your little display," he continued rather dryly, "the people have been divided.  The other castes have grown more and more distrustful of the warrior caste, we who are responsible for protection of Minbar.  These attacks have served only to underscore that importance.  We stand ready to defend and avenge our people but we must lead in order to fulfill those vows."

You would cast out the religious and worker castes to grasp a bit of power over our own people?   Neroon, I cannot believe that you would do this!  There will be bloodshed, much more bloodshed because the dead of so many Minbari cry out in anguish at our foolishness.

"The people are scared.  They need guidance.  This isn't like the last war-" 

The tall Minbari stood quietly at Delenn's side.  He was right.  That time it was an error, foolishness on top of misunderstanding.  This time it had been a deliberate attack designed to keep them away from aiding the Vorlons in their time of need.  Minbari ships were tracking the enemy now back to their home base.  She already knew where the trail would lead.  

"This isn't like the last war," she agreed.  "Then, we were one people, united, to avenge our lost.  This time, we are close to fighting among ourselves even as the enemy destroys our homes.  Neroon, if the warrior cast should lead then they must be willing to serve those they would rule.  Have you considered being the servant? Do you have the strength to do so?"

His answer was careful and considered.  "I don't know."

"Then before you choose to rule, find out what it means to truly serve.  Anything less and you will not be worthy."

"There are times when you truly surprise me Delenn.  Again I am reminded why he chose you," Neroon said in mocking humor and grudging respect.   "What of the Humans on _Babylon Five_?  Will they support us?" 

"We acted in their time of need.  They will respond accordingly," she said, utterly confident to speak for Sheridan and the others."

"There is another point that has me greatly concerned," Neroon said as they began to walk towards the chambers of the Grey council, the seat of Minbari power.  "I have heard and seen the reports of the Federation Human ships.   At first I discounted the reports and rumors as overactive imagination, but I can't discount them anymore.  If they are as powerful as I have been told then what type of threat are they to us?  Captain Menroi has told of fantastic technology and the weaponry that was used against the Centauri has given the warrior caste cause to turn our eyes on them.   Menroi and his crew are very taken with them.  But I would like your evaluation, Delenn.  Are they a threat?"

"First, they are not simply Human but a combination of races working together for the improvement of all.  It has not worked out as well as they hoped as they have been at war with a vicious and brutal enemy called the Klingons for over twenty of their years.  But even in this these people have managed to obtain a real truce with the ones who are here.  They talk to each other and they have worked together.  The Human on both sides share a commonality.  They can make build communities with others that are not their own.  _B5_ is an example of that and the Humans onboard the Federation starships share that same trait.  They have helped _B5_ weather storms and have improved quality of life on the station.  Even Kosh was saved by them, and for a Vorlon to speak constantly with their Ambassador should be answer enough."   

That little revelation surprised him.  Vorlons were very isolated.  They barely talked to anyone.  "I would like to evaluate them myself one day soon."

"That may come sooner that you think.  This information I hold comes from them."

He raised his hairless eyebrows and the two separated as Delenn now stood at the entranceway of the Grey Council.  For years this was the door she walked thru and she had valued it as a friend, like a familiar face.  But only recently had it turned to an adversary, seeming now to look back at her in reproof.  She swallowed and the door opened into darkness. 

-And into the light. The circle of light, her people's light and she grew strength from it.  Now she was ready.

Nine hooded figures, Minbari all, surrounded her as they stepped into their own circles.  Now they were ready.

"I am Grey," Delenn said, her hood covering her Human-like hair.  "I stand between the candle and the star. We are Grey. We stand between the darkness and the light. I come and stand at that place that has been prepared for me and was broken by our foolishness.  It is time to stand together once more.  We are Grey."

"Delenn," one of the members of the warrior caste began.  "You who have broken the circle, why are you're here?  Have you come right the wrong which had done here?  Do you ask for forgiveness?"

The bitterness ran deep.  She ignored the glib.  "For years we have been warned that the darkness was coming and now it is here.  For a thousand years we prepared for it and just as we became laxed, it has struck.  We ignored the warnings from the other races as they began to war among themselves.  We said that the problems of others were not our concern.  Then the very enemy that we have waited for, for so long have now attacked the Vorlons.  Now we began to prepare, but it is a half-hearted effort, for we were broken and afraid.  We did not take the first step and now we are running behind to catch up.  Now we are too late.  We have been attacked by that same darkness and we have no idea where to turn to strike back.  But instead we have struck against ourselves.  There are those in the warrior caste who believe that they are the power and now refuse to fully support the others in their time of need."

"That is a lie!"

"Then prove it by remembering why the Grey Council was created in the first place!  If you wish to lead, then you must first serve.  If this is done, we of the religious caste and the worker caste would follow gladly."

Another of the warrior caste spoke up.  "We die for our people, Delenn.  What more can we do to prove that we serve?"

"By putting your trusts and your hearts in our hands knowing that we may squeeze and crush it, as you would do to us.  The temptation for power is too strong and we must be ready to defend ourselves against that which comes."

"You're suggesting that we change the Grey."

"There is no Grey!" she yelled.  "Only leadership that have lost its way!"

There was silence for several moments as what was said was digested.  

"We must serve now as never before," she said breaking the tense silence.  "If we do not, then none of us may survive.  Look."

 The three dimensional visual materialize above them and an image of Centauri Prime's solar system appeared.   Even from a distance the Council could pick out the hundreds of Centauri craft interspersed with another group they could not fail to recognize.  Those arrow shaped ships were very distinctive, not matter what their size.

"These images were taken by the Klingon vessel less than two days ago.  There are hundreds of them throughout at least three systems in Centauri territory.  They are coming and we must prepare.  It is not just us, but the non-aligned races as well.  We must come together before the Shadows and their allies crush us.  We need a reference point, a place to organize, a fortress as we had a thousand years ago."

"You refer to _Babylon Five_, I assume," one of the other Leaders from the worker caste said.  "But we must first defend our people.  Make our planets safe."

"Yes.  But there will come a time when we must attack as well as defend.  When that time comes, it will be there on _Babylon Five _where wewill coordinate."   

"We will consider."

"Consider quickly or soon, we will not have anything left to consider."

**Proxima III:**

Four EAS destroyers prepared to get underway as escort, protecting their most precious cargo on its journey back to earth.  General Brindley watch nervously as the convoy activated their jump engines and disappeared into hyperspace.  The centers of power might have just shifted if the big heads at home did their jobs correctly.  

The USS _Yeager_ had made it back to _Babylon-Five _with hardly a scratch, neatly avoiding the minefields and other traps set by his government to bring the small scout ship down.  But all the preparations failed as he had expected them to and the pursuers continued on to Proxima III.  Their new hope of capturing or destroying the Federation ships rested in R&D's research and they had just delivered the prototype.  It was ungainly and had to be fitted on the outside of an _Omega_-class destroyer.  It had exactly two shots worth of power.  The result of rushed research and inadequate preparation, it was a risky venture that Brindley wasn't prepared to take.  The particle-laser hybrid weapon was estimated powerful enough to damage Federation shields, but one had to close to almost to point-blank range in order for it to work.  The rumors were flying that President Clarke would order waves of ships into the fire so that two of the destroyers would get a clear shot.   It was rumor of course, but that type of rumor gave credence to the state of moral problem still plaguing the EAS.  

However the tide was beginning to change, a change that started one day after the Centauri-_Babylon Five_ conflict.  A lone Star Fury exited an EAS-controlled jumpgate and moved quickly towards the nearest blockading destroyer.

"This is Lt. Cdr. Gerald Higgins of _Babylon Five_," the pilot had said repeatedly.  "I am non-hostile and I have information vital to Earth Gov and Earth Force.  I repeat this is Lt. Cdr. Gerald…"

The rebel ship had been surrounded and escorted into the landing bay of the EAS _Evanston _and within an hour technicians were all over the modified _Thunderbolt_ class Star Fury.  This was the most important find in the last fifteen years.  Polarized plating- an absolute wonder!-a smaller more powerful fission generator, a new standoff and deliver system complete with lased-energy and phased generators.  The engineers and technicians were practically drooling over the technology and the schematic their scans had begun to reveal.  And it had been delivered into their hands; a gift handed to them by a loyal member of the Earth Force.  There was the information on a new class of Star Fury being built, one which would effectively humiliate anything Earth Force could come with in the next ten to twenty years. 

Interrogation and telepathic scans of the prisoner proved that he was telling the absolute truth.  He had never approved of going up against his own government, indeed was forced to by the situation of being on he wrong side at the wrong time.  He said he loved his Captain (as a true, close friend), but Hiroshi was wrong.   Furthermore he was a wealth of information.  He spoke of the Federation marvels, including the replication systems that had intimidated Brindley and Christov so.  He spoke of the command structures of _B5_ and the Federation.  He gave details of the Centauri battle.  He had a wealth of information about foreign policies and the problems with the Vorlon-Shadow war, which Earth Force knew next-to-nothing about.  He also expressed something else.

Fear.  

-Fear of the upcoming war with the Shadows or even the Centauri against Earth.  Without a doubt he believed that those same Shadow aliens would one-day attack, and Earth had to be ready or everyone would die.  

Terrell Drake, Captain of the _Evanston _stood next to Brindley and several other senior staff members, saying nothing as both sweated over the most recent reports and the information obtained from Higgins.  From the corner of his eye Brindley watched the Senior Captain as he turned several different shades of red with each passing hour.   So, finally after an hour, he decided to have compassion on the man.  

"Out with it."

"This is exactly what I feared," the man blurted out.  "Every day that station is getting stronger and stronger.  This embargo on _B5_ is a joke," he said stressing every single word.  "The new weapon is a joke and we're sitting here like scare rabbits trying to decide what we're going to do next.  It's true that we've just about figured out how to track their ships in warp but you've read the report about the Feds.  They've almost discovered a way to track our ships in hyperspace with enough detail to read the nameplates on them.  And their so-called subspace weaponry is being configured to take us out while we're in jump transit.   Picard and Garrett have been practicing reconfiguring their subspace emitters to open hyperspace jump points.  If this continues for much longer, we're going to have to nuke the entire system before they come after us and step all over our fleet for sport."

Brindley expected something like this and it appeared that several officers shared the Captain's assessment.  Even he agreed with everything that was being said.  Higgins's report had also stated that the first of Sheridan's _White Stars_ was in the process of being fitted with warp engines.  The _Ambassador's_ science labs were making new discoveries everyday.  Very soon, any attack against them would be futile.  Nuclear strike?  _It'll probably just make them mad._  He shivered at the thought.  Like it or not, _Babylon Five_ was becoming an independent power.  However with this-gift from heaven-maybe they wouldn't trail too far behind.  

The EAS _Charon_ and the battle group had disappeared in a flash of jump space distortion carrying that most valuable cargo and with it the hopes of Earth Force.  

A young lieutenant clearing his throat for the second time interrupted his thoughts.  His people knew when not to bother him unless it was very, very important.   He was about to soundly blast the young man when the comments died in his throat.  Behind him coming up fast, was Colonel Griffin and an Earth Force Major whose name he couldn't remember.

"Sir, our deep space probe intercepted a transmissions," the lieutenant said quickly.  "Apparently there's a ship, one of Sheridan's forces that's penetrated Vorlon space."

Quickly, the General moved to the communications center of the ship where they were still receiving the transmission.  Evidently, it was being broadcasted on a standard frequency to make sure that someone would see it. Surrounded by his staff, he listened and saw.

_"_Babylon Five_, Captain Sheridan, are you receiving this_?" the voice said.  "_The Shadows have penetrated the outer defenses of the Vorlon home system or at least what we think is their system.  They're not even concerned that we're here.  The Vorlons have destroyed hundreds of the Shadow vessels and still they are coming.  But the Vorlons are being pushed back.  The fighting has been unbelievable.  We dare not get too close.  They're trying to stop something, some kind of device covered in a cloud-like vapor…"_

About five minutes, again the transmission returned.  "_It's orbiting the outer most planet now.  Something's happening."_

"Are we recording this?"

"Absolutely, sir.  We're also relaying the information to Earth Force."

"Good.  So those are the Shadow ships in action," he whispered to his people. "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the one found on Mars.  I think _B5_ has just been relegated to number two of our list of problems."

"They continued watching in silence as two Vorlon fighters slammed themselves into the cloud.  They went in.  Nothing came out.

"_There's something…_ _B5, can you see it?  Missiles, almost two hundred meters long, thousands of them.  Aimed towards the planet.  They've hit!  They're penetrating the crust…ten miles…twenty miles…thirty miles.  They're tunneling into the planets core."_

The signal broke up for a second._  "The Vorlons have fired some type of energy weapon at the shadow cloud.  There was an explosion, the entire area lit up.  The cloud is dispersing, breaking up."  _There was another pulse of interference much longer and more pronounced this time.

_"That was a massive electromagnetic pulse on the planet," _the voice continued._  "The missiles just exploded, thousands of them, each of them with thousands of megatons.  The planet is convulsing; earthquakes, magma explosions are evident everywhere on the planet.  It's breaking up from the inside…My God!  There's another of those things that just exited from a jump point.  It's moving towards the next planet.  I believe the Vorlons are bringing in another-"_

The rest of the vid feed was lost as the sensor's officer's voice rang out accompanied by proximity alarms.

"Sir.  We have a jump point opening one million kilometers from our position.  It's two, repeat two Centauri _Vorchans_.  They are on an intercept course heading for Proxima III."  

"Hail them."

"They're hailing us, sir.  Sounds like it's a pre-recorded message." 

"…Cartagia and the Centauri people will no longer be spied upon and subjected to the whims of the Government of Earth.  It has struck against us once but never again…"

Brindley fumed.  This nonsense about spying on the Centauri was lunacy and the riveting transmissions he had to tear himself away from were far more important than some political crap coming from the Centauri right about now.  However in the back of his mind alarm bells were ringing.  "Open a channel."

"Channel, open."

"Centauri vessels.  This is an Earth Force restricted area.  You will leave immediately."

The Centauri ignored the order and continued to close in almost casually.  Something was wrong.   He could feel it.

"Battle stations," he ordered.  "Power everything up and launch all Star Furies.  Everything!"

"Sir, we have multiple jump points all over the system!"

He could see the obvious quite clearly.  The sky seemed full of Centauri ships as they too launched their fighters and in an instant they found themselves defending the very colony that just moments before was under military law.  Nearly two hundred _Sentri_ interceptors swarmed the ten Earth Force destroyers and their fighters.  Earth Force didn't wait but began firing and immediately dozens of Centauri fighters were damaged or destroyed.  The larger _Primus_ and _Vorchans_ hit the Earth fleet like a sledgehammer.  Overwhelmed, the EAS _Nemies_ was the first to die under the withering fire of four_ Primus _battleships.  Fires erupting from over two hundred different areas signaled the death of its crew.  

Although caught unprepared, they gave as well as they got, but all of the EAS ships were taking a severe beating.  There were simply too many of the enemy attacking at one time.  A second _Omega_ broke apart even as it gutted its assailant.  Dozens of escape pods ejected, filled with desperate men and women trying to escape the death throes of the mother vessel, but to the crew of the _Evanston's_ mounting horror the survivors were being blown apart by the Centauri interceptors.  _Aurora_ and _Thunderbolt_ furies fought for all they were worth but the end was a forgone conclusion.  Six to one odds were not winnable under these conditions.  

The _Heracles_ blew a port engine when the order to retreat was given by the commanding General.  He clearly understood what he was asking his fleet to do and he felt a bitter regret for leaving the scene, but for the sake of his command and the people under him he had to get them to safety.  Proxima III would to be abandoned.   The Centauri were after them not the civilians.  

"Punch us a hole and have the fleet prepare to jump."

"Yes, Sir," Drake said.  "The _Heracles_ will not be able execute the jump."  The ship was far too damaged to move more than five thousand KPH let alone endure the stress of hyperspace travel.  "They will have to surrender."

Brindley would not abandon the _Heracles_ and was about to give the order when Centauri Battleships began firing point blank into amidships of the wounded EAS _Omega_.  The vessel tore itself apart spectacularly and in full display of the Earth fleet. The Centauri had no intentions of accepting surrender of any kind.   Even as he watched the vile spectacle in horror he saw several of the Centauri change course, heading towards the planet.  With a sense of nausea, he watched as those ships fired directly into the heart of the colony with the resulting fire creating mushroom clouds large enough to be seen from orbit.  Tens of thousands maybe far, far more were dead.  President Clarke had once suggested the same thing, but had relinquished under the criticism from even his closest advisors.  But this was different, he thought, trying to justify it.  These were aliens killing Humans, his people.  It had been his responsibility to protect his people from such threats.  But now, just as the threat represented a clear and present danger he had failed.  Military quarantine or not, he had failed those people-his people and the weight of that failure felt like the rock of Gibraltar on his back.  He could barely breathe as the _Evanston_ and his four badly battered, surviving ships fled to the safety of hyperspace.   

Seconds later, relief turned to determination as scans reported ten Centauri warships on their tail intent on running them down.

And they were slowly succeeding.

He had no choice at all.  Heaven help them. 

                           


	21. Chapter 21

                               Chapter Twenty-One 

**_"Setting the Rules"_**

Lieutenant Commander Castillo, in charge of the evening shift on the _Ambassador_, sat relaxed listening to the hums and bell of his ship as the crew went through the routine.  Today had been a rough day.  Some of the engineers were insisting on upgrading the warp core to the new specs consistent with the updated_ Ambassador_ class of the _Enterprises-D's_ time.  But, right now, it was impossible.  The last thing they needed was to be in the middle of a refit when someone decided to attack them.  Therefore that would have to wait for a more opportune time.  In the meantime he mused about home, a place that might not be possible to get back to.  All the experiments in quantum temporal and spatial shifting had failed.  Home was as close as his seat and as far away as the most distant galaxy.  But the good news was that they could now achieve warp one in hyperspace before the dis-harmonics would tear the ship apart.  From _B5 _in warp-hyper drive_,_ earth was a mere six hours away, instead of three days.  The alignment between sub-space and hyperspace still needed to be fine-tuned.  The frequencies between the two realities had to match perfectly and so far, that quantum matching had proved elusive.

He enjoyed working command during evening shift and he got chance to choose his choice of music. The only thing he didn't like was the ever-accursed paperwork that was placed on his PADD every few minutes it seemed.  Captain Garrett insisted that the bio and science departments kept their experiments and data collection on schedule-as much as possible-so that they would not lose their edge.  Many of the crewmembers were transplants from the future _Enterprise_ and trained not in the sciences but in military tactics.  So she had implemented a plan to change that onboard her vessel.  The _Ambassador_ was a diplomatic science vessel first and foremost and she intended to keep it that way as much as she could.  There were classes being held constantly onboard including quantum and subspace physics, temporal and spatial harmonics incorporating normal, subspace and hyperspace theory-a requirement for everybody- and his favorite, anti-matter containment mechanics taught by Garret herself.  Then there were the interspecies cytogenetics and gene comparisons studies and Federation diplomacy courses.  

The holographic classrooms were nothing short of amazing.  'Hands-on' took on a whole new meaning here.  Some days, after taking some of those classes, it felt as though his head would explode.  But truth be told, he did enjoy some of those classes, as did the Narns and crew stationed on _B5 who were _taking the classes as well.  Data was an excellent teacher and he got chance to see Tasha more often than not.  The woman was beautiful and their relationship was blossoming, a good thing since he was considering asking her to marry him.  

But he hadn't yet and their 'secret' relationship was the casual gossip of the _Enterprise_, the_ Ambassador _and a fair amount of _B5_-actually anyone who saw them-couldn't help but notice it.

"Get it over with and ask the woman," his Captain had told him in no uncertain terms.

He smiled as he remembered his response.  "I don't know if this is the right time."

"There's never a right time," she said. "There's always a wrong time.  And there's now.  Don't let your chance slip away."

He already knew this, but hearing it from someone else helped.  Hopefully, he prayed that she would follow her own advice.  If opposites attract, then she and Picard were made for each other.

Ensign Mossa, a female Andorian pulled him out of his musings.  "Sir, we there's a ship, correction two more ships, exiting the jump gate.  EAS configuration, _Hyperions_."

"It must be the last two ships they were expecting."  

"_B5_ is confirming their ID's."

"Good.  Stand down."  He relaxed.  Security was at a all time high now. Castillo and Riker had no intentions of allowing raiders to piggyback a ride with friendlies.  

For the last two hours, Sheridan and Commander Ivanova had taken the tour of the new instrumentation onboard the station and now they were at the final leg of their journey.  Susan waited until all of the visitors were in the docking bay before she began her lecture.  In front of the shocked officers was the updated _Thunderbolt-B5_ (for _Babylon Five_) Star Fury.

"Ladies and Gentlemen: This is a modified SA-26A-B5 _Thunderbolt_ Star Fury, four times stronger and faster than its earlier sister.  A plasma-injected micro-fusion reactor powers the fighter-bomber's system. The mass is the same, fifty-two metric tons and it has an acceleration 4.3 km/per second squared with a maximum duration of twenty hours.  The weapons are modified with what are called first generation phased energy pulse canons and for defense we have polarized plating, the same as on _B5_, and is rated to withstand four direct hits from standard Centauri fighters.  And it works quite well.  I haven't even mentioned the new targeting and IDECM* systems we're placing in this model.  And the gravity and inertia systems allow a pilot to perform aerobatics that would shock you.  In short, with these ships we can wipe the off the floor with anything that comes at us one-on-one."

"Even Minbari fighters?" someone asked in the background.

"Susan's response was a knowing, half sneer.  "We're not at war with them anymore," came the diplomatic answer.  "Shall we continue?"

"Captain Garret to the Bridge."

"Garrett here.  What's the problem, Commander?"

"Four bogies are heading towards the _B5_ jump gate," Richard answered.  The sensor upgrades were good enough to track a target in hyperspace for a distance of six light minutes.  Subspace sensors, having the advantage of three hundred years of engineering and application behind it, were far, far more sensitive.  Hyperspace detection technology, based on subspace sensors theoretical applications was a new, raw science.  But still, it was beginning to prove its worth and whatever was discovered by Sheridan's or Fed castaways were shared.

"_B5_ confirms our targets.  It's three _Omegas_ and one _Hyperion_ class.  Are they expecting any more guests?"

CnC answered.  "No unauthorized guests are on the list.  We're going to battle stations."

"Shields up!  Yellow alert.  We're on the sidelines unless they start something.  Move to established positions."

"_Enterprise_ and _Yeager_ concurs."

From CnC Sandra watched as _Omegas_ powered up, quickly turning to face the gate while the blue glow of the Federation ships brightened as the moved some five thousand kilometers distant, in other words, point blank range.  Captain Sheridan and Commander Ivanova along with Major Ryan rushed to CnC to find out what was going on.

"Report Hiroshi."

"There are four EAS ships coming through the jump gate in thirty seconds.  Our fighters are flanking the gate.  We're ready."

The Jump gate activated and four EAS ships poured out.  Immediately they begin broadcasting.  

"_Babylon Five_," Voicecom said.  "We are non-hostile, repeat non hostile.  We request immediate asylum.  This is General Brindley of the EAS _Evanston_.  Captain Sheridan, we need to talk.  We are non-hostile.  Our weapons are not powered.  Do not fire, I repeat..."      

A surprised Sheridan curtly responded.  "Move your ships six thousand klicks on your x-axis and wait there.  Any deviation will be met with hostile action.  Is that clear?"   

"Affirmative, _B5_.  There are Centauri warships on our tail.  They destroyed the colony on Proxima III."

Major Ryan gasped harshly and growled at his ex-superior officer.  "We're supposed to believe that?  What did you do to those people?"

"Take a look at our ships, Major!  We had a total of ten ships when the blockade was overrun.  Five of us made the jump and only four of us made it here.  They've dogged us all the way here, cut off other avenues of escape, jammed out communications with Earth.  There's a war starting, Major and our people don't know about it!"

A quick scan by the station confirmed their status. As a whole they were barely functional, the damage clearly evident, and multiple life signs fading. 

"Sir, we have twelve bogies approaching _B5_ space, distance six light minutes and closing fast."

"Give the order."  _Bless these scanners._

"Five _white Stars_ and the three Federation Ships went to full combat status.

Twelve Centauri battleships erupted from hyperspace jump points sixty thousand kilometers distant from _Babylon Five_ and ran face to face a task force with the _Enterpri_se and _Ambassador_ flanking them.  Immediately, they turned and jumped back into hyperspace without firing a shot.  

"Evidently the word's gotten out," he said to Major Ryan who nodded in agreement.  "Which is good for now.  The more time we have to prepare, the better."

With his entire bridge in a near panic, General Brindley grimaced as he watched injured crewman after crewman disappear to god-knows-where right in front of him.  _Well, that_ _answered that question_.  Sheridan possessed power, _Babylon Five_ was his and he couldn't deny its effectiveness.  Here was absolute proof the Federation did indeed have matter transport technology.  

Sheridan's image appeared on the comms channel.  "General your injured have been removed to _Babylon Five_ and are being taken care of.  No harm will come to them," he said.  "You have my word on it."

Brindley curtly nodded.

"I want you and your staff on your bridge in five minutes.  It's time we had a talk."

Unable to do anything else, he complied.

"We're here, Sheridan," the General hissed.  A second later he almost screamed as he felt his body changing into something else.  Energy shimmered around him and his bridge faded and the _B5_ conference-teaching room took its place.  Captain Drake, stone-faced and stiff, looked about with a burning anger that was palpable.  The Captains of the other three EAS ships were also present having experienced the same method of transport.  The room was brimming with Sheridan's guards both Human and Narn.   A few seconds later, Captains Picard and Garrett materialized-that was the best word he could think of-behind Sheridan and Major Ryan looking as arrogant as he'd ever seen them.  _Maybe they have a right to be_ he thought. 

"President Clarke is not to happy with you right now," he began.  "That little stunt with the Psi-Corps has started a small civil war-as you intended for it to do."

Sheridan's response was just as harsh.  "The people needed to know what was happening since ISN doesn't have a clue anymore.  'All the poisons need to come to the surface' someone once said in ancient Rome I believe.  He was right."

The two of them glared at one another, neither backing down.  Finally Brindley broke off in disgust.

A few moments later they were all seated and Sheridan began.

"What happened General?  Why did the Centauri attack you?"

"It's all your fault, Sheridan," Brindley started.  "They sent us a message before they began shooting!"  He had perfect memory and he proceeded to quote the message.   'I, Emperor Cartagia and the Centauri people will no longer be spied upon and subjected to the whims of the Government of Earth.  It has struck against us once but never again will we be subjected to the manipulations of a species that would keep us from our rightful place among the stars'.   He continued on from some time but the bottom line is that we are at war."

"Then why did you come here?" the major asked.  The man looked skeptical.

"They attacked us with almost no warning.  We were out-numbered, and out gunned.  Two of our ships were destroyed within the first two minutes and when the _Heracles_ tried to surrender, they blew it to bits and then bombed the colony.  They even destroyed one of our ships in hyperspace and you know how unstable fights are in that space.  When we escaped, they attempted to flank us in hyperspace and even fired some unknown energy weapon against us.  They cut off all avenues of escape except for Minbari space and here.  It seems they are afraid of you, for the time being.  I have to contact EarthGov and let them know what has happened."

"EarthGov has been jamming us since we broke away," Sheridan answered hotly.  "You know that!" 

Hissing, Brindley understood after all he was the one who initiated the quarantine, but he wasn't about to let that stop him for a moment.  "Let me repeat myself, Captain.  Earth Force, Earth Gov, all of our protectorates are threatened.  Despite our differences, Sheridan, I can't believe that you would allow Humanity to be threatened in this way without at least making the effort.  In fact, the _Yeager_ or one of your _White Stars_ could get out of jamming range and relay the warning.

"We have a credibility problem, General Brindley, one which was created by President Clarke!"

"And you would let that stop you?" the General asked.  "If that's true then you really are a traitor.  You would actually let an alien government destroy us."

Sheridan was livid and judging by the looks on the other rebel Commanders, so were they since it was implied that they too were traitors.  "Screw you and your bigoted attitudes, General," Sheridan harshly responded.  "There isn't one of us here that wouldn't lay down our lives to protect Earth, even from people who have violated the same constitution we have fought and died for in the last few months.  This has never been about alien influence, but about Clarke's megalomania, those that follow him and the trampling of the rights of the people of Earth.   And," he added rubbing salt into the wound.  "How do you know that Clarke hasn't been influence by aliens in the first place?"

That thought never crossed Brindley's mind, in fact he couldn't even conceive of such a thing.  _Clarke, under alien control of some sort?  Never!_   

"We intercepted the transmission sent to you about the Vorlons and those Shadows.  It's quite a battle going on.  I'm glad we're not involved in that."  It was an obvious probe but Sheridan seemed to be waiting for it.

"We expected you to see that General.  That's' why it was sent on an open channel.  Instead of watching us every minute, we wanted you to know what was really going on."

"It's not our problem," Brindley answered.  As he took the measure of everyone in the room he could see the fear in some of the rebels.  Their eyes darted back and forth nervously as though the wanted to flee the room.  He decided to add to the pressure.  Maybe conversation and guilt could do what guns and bombs couldn't.  "You and the Centauri are."

"There's more to it than that, General," said Sheridan refusing to rise to the bait.  "Did you know that the Minbari were attacked less than six days ago by an unknown race?  This race has been seen in Centauri space and we have proof of this.  The Shadows are working with the Centauri.  Do you understand what that means?  Do you have a clue, Brindley?"  He let that sink in for a moment.  "The Shadows are our problem because when they finish with the Vorlons they will come after Earth in support of the Centauri.  We are talking inter-galactic war here.  Very soon it's going to be Earth, Minbar, Narn and the non-aligned races against the Shadows, the Centauri and these others.   Nowhere will be safe."

The General opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again and closed it.  "You have a tendency to exaggerate Sheridan," he said finally.  "The Centauri are the problem and we'll need everybody to deal with this threat.  You saw what happened to the Narn in their war."

Everybody had seen what had happened.  The Centauri wore the Narn military down and then bombed them back into the Stone Age.   No doubt about it, they were tough.  

"I have proof of it, General.  Take a look."  

Obviously Sheridan had prepared for this he noted.  The lights darkened and on a vid screen, the images of Centauri Prime appeared surrounded by hundreds of Centauri warships along with unidentified arrow-shaped ships and in the far distance, a small shape, unmistakable spidery-like.  His jaw dropped.  

This was taken about three days before you were attacked."

"Have you confirmed it?"

"Of course."

"In light of this information, are you proposing that we join forces against this threat?"  It was Colonel Griffin who asked that question.  Of course, Brindley thought.  If anyone would try a straight reconciliation, it would be him.  The man was sharp, cool and controlled.  "And if we do, assuming that you will not rejoin Earth Force, how are we to proceed?"

Sheridan appeared to be in thought for a moment.  Griffin had caught him of guard and Brindley was pleased. The question was how would he respond? 

"_Babylon Five_ will welcome those who have come to join us, but at the same time, those who wish it can leave and rejoin Earth Force," Sheridan answered.  "If necessary, we will go it alone with the resources we have."  Brindley watched him watching the others around the room including the impassive Federation Officers.  "I will support the Minbari and the Narn and the others in this fight, but I also want to make it clear to you that separately, we won't have much of a chance.  If Minbar loses, then Earth loses, too.  The Shadows and the others will swarm Earth's defenses and that'll be all she wrote."

"Then there is the next question," Griffin continued.  "With your technological advances that you now have, will you share it with Earth?"

"No." 

It was a short, curt answer that the General expected.

"Not under these conditions.  We won't share our technology although we will support Earth if need be with everything we have.  It's up to President Clarke and his cabinet to accept or reject this offer."

"We need an independent confirmation of what you say." 

"That can be worked out, General but getting back to the first point.  Earth Force is jamming us.  I can't get thru to Earth unless you back off."  

"That isn't strictly true," Garrett murmured softy to Picard.  They were off to the side quietly monitoring the event unfolding.  They had seen Romulan-Klingon conferences less tense than this.  "They can breech the jamming with the machine system on the planet below.  "But, he's keeping quiet about that for now."

"So would I, Captain.  In your opinion, do you believe that they will come to some sort of agreement?"

"The President may not have a choice," she whispered.  "But the trust factor will be a serious problem."

"Nicely understated as usual, but you are correct.  They must resolve this in their own way.  But I must confess that I am curious about Colonel Griffin."

Rachel smiled.  She understood exactly what he meant. Then she caught a glimpse of a very angry EAS Officer glaring at Picard specifically.  "On the other hand, it seems as if Captain Drake would love to rip your spinal chord from your still living body and beat you to death with it."  She then adapted an aura of innocence.

"Well," he answered dryly, critiquing her sarcastic stance, "I was trying to defend myself.  Personally, I don't care how he feels,' he said letting his voice raise slightly all the will returning the stare.  "He has other responsibilities now that he should attend to.  If he can't put his personal feelings to the side then he has no right commanding an EAS ship-of-the-line."

Everyone of course heard it and tension in the room went higher than it already was.  Brindley could have cut this short, however it would be only a matter of time before it festered into violence.  Here, at this place it could be controlled.  

But the Federation Captain wasn't finished.  "Captain Drake," Jean-Luc Picard said walking up to the man.  "If you have a problem, then let's get it out into the open right now."

Boiling with fury, Terrell Drake retaliated.  "You had no right interfering with an Earth Force situation!  You slaughtered thousands of loyal Earth Force men and women…"

"-In order to prevent even more deaths," he cut in, "On _B5_, your own people and thousands of innocent sentient species!  Grow up Drake!  Your job demands control.  Your primary responsibility is the protection of those in your care and upholding the intent of the law, not simply the letter.  Everyone here is responsible for the people who rely on us to protect them whether it be in Earthspace or in the Federation."  

"Captain," he continued with a softer voice.  "Where we are from, the Federation may very well lose that war to the Klingons.  Here, the Klingons and we have forged the beginnings of an alliance that belies twenty-two years of bloodshed on a scale that you can barely conceive of.  You've barely have had two years of differences of opinions.  I do not like you Drake and how you feel about me is irrelevant.  But if your dislike of me stops you from performing your duty, then you should step down from command."

"You said that _where you are from_," Griffin said cutting in.  "If you are talking about forging a trust, then it must begin here.  Where are you from, Captains Picard and Garrett of the Federation Starships?"

A silent Brindley realized this was a turning point.  The answer, whatever it was could change everything.  If they chose not to answer then this conference would be for nothing. Secrets destroyed.  _But then_, he thought, _so does the truth_. 


	22. Chapter 22

**_             Chapter Twenty-Two_**

****

******_                "Details"_**

****

_The man was right_ the Starship Captain realized.  It was time to tell this portion of the truth.  Turning to Garrett for an instant who merely blinked her affirmation, he began.  "We are the space faring, Starfleet section of the United Federation of Planets*, an interstellar alliance of planetary Governments and colonies united for mutual trade, exploratory, cultural, scientific, diplomatic and defensive endeavors.  At present we have over one hundred thirty member systems spread out over seven thousand light-years.  Two of the founding members are Earth and Vulcan."  He saw shock and understanding among many of Brindley's staff as he confirmed what they had begun to suspect.  "Starships were designed to explore, and defend the membership.  The war with the Klingon Empire has cause incalculable damage, destruction and loss of life-in our universe." 

"So it's true.  You're from another reality."

"Yes," he said.  "And you will do well to remember that our people are looking for us even now," he stated, adding a slight bluff in case someone had an idea to try to wear them down.  "Computer, began program."

The room disappeared to the shock of most of the members present.  What took its place were essentially the same images shown to Sheridan and the others over four months earlier.   It was the most perfect holographic images they had even seen. The planet Earth and its moon appeared behind them and they saw a Federation Space station orbiting the planet.  This time, the Twenty-third fleet in all its glory, was shown leaving the station. The sight of one hundred seventeen ships leaving earth orbit and warping away pulled a collective gasp from everyone in the room.

"This is our origin.  And by our Charter, our rules and regulations, we will not stand by and allow those we chose to protect to be slaughtered by those who are more interested in following orders rather than doing what is right.  You have a chance here to make a difference."

Three hours later, the USS _Ambassador_ tractoring a hastily repaired _Hyperion_-class destroyer entered jump space at warp one.  At that speed they would enter Earthspace in six hours and time was of the essence.  They had to get there as fast as possible because it was very likely that the Centauri were attacking several other Terran possessions even as they sped towards Earth, an Earth that didn't know that the first blows had been struck.  

On the bridge, Captain Rachel Garrett, General Brindley and several EAS officers-along with Fed security- stood looking at the violent swirling dimension of hyperspace rushing past at speeds they could barely fathom.  Brindley appeared uninterested but she could tell that the man was taking in every bell and whistle, every nook and cranny, every station and vid screen, every section of ceiling, every seat, just about every scrap of data he could stuff in his mind.  She smiled.

"Having fun, General?"  The question was predatory, full of menace.

"I'm in charge of gathering data and capturing this ship. I'm responsible for capturing your crew and interrogating them to find out everything about the Federation.  I don't have fun," he said, smiling back at her.

"None of this would have happened if you hadn't attacked _Babylon Five_.  In our first encounter with Earth Force, two of your ships declared us pirates and would have fired on us given half the chance.  It wasn't the best greetings we ever had for first contact."  She was serious now.  "Look about you, General.  What should have been a meaningful cultural exchange turned out to be 'gunfight at the OK corral.'  What a waste."

The General said nothing but she could see the wheels of his mind turning.  

"Maybe this wasn't the best time to come visiting," he admitted.  "But I follow the orders of the legitimate leadership of my Planet."

"Even if the leadership assassinated your previous President?"

"It's never been proven to my satisfaction that the explosion of his ship was anything more than an tragic accident."

"If you say so," she answered.  She didn't believe him for a second.

"I must confess," Brindley said changing the subject.  "Your vessel seems a lot more comfortable than I expected.  I thought it would have a more military stance, at least on the bridge."

"This design offers the best we have in combining diplomatic and defensive mission together in one unit, Garrett answered proudly.  My ship was barely five years old before we came here.  The _Enterprise_ is about the same age, but it's an unadulterated warship, pure hell on wheels, just like this one, when it has to be.  Don't play with us and you won't get burned."

That was more than a threat Brindley surmised.  That was a promise.  "We've established a temporary truce, Captain.  I will honor that truce.  Your actions have been more or less defensive even if they were misguided," he added not being able to help himself.  "Besides, you're not the threat the Centauri are.  I have seen them in action and they'll leave Earth in ashes unless we mount a proper defense against them.  I don't intend to wind up like the Narn."

She laughed in that disarmingly fashion which caused so many people to underestimate her.  "Truce for now it is.  Now, do you have any questions that I can't answer?"

"Billions and billions," he answered.  "But, the first thing that's so noticeable is that your crew is so diverse.  How does that work out?"

"The Federation lives by the credo 'infinite diversity in infinite combinations," she answered.  "Exactly opposite of your Governments views, as it were.  Simply put, we have learned to communicate with one another.  For the most part, it works out.  Most everyone has basically the same needs and desires.  It's dependent on cultural and physiological uniqueness of course, but because we have that willingness to try, we have achieved lots of advances and overall peace with our most of our neighbors…"

"Except the Klingons."

"Yes," she admitted.  "And a few others as well.  Believe me, you do not want them here.  We're not perfect, General, not even close. But we do try and we have not let species prejudice interfere with us.  Now what would have happened," she asked, "if we had came to Earth with our mixed crew?"

He sighed.  The distrust would have been immediate and the consequences dire, even disastrous.  He knew she already knew the answer.  Silence was answer enough.

"Then will you give me a little history as to how the Federation began?"

"You only have five hours not a week," the woman smirked.  "This technology you see here is the result of cooperation of different races working together.  And that's just the beginning.  Eight thousand cubic light-years of space, not even twenty-one percent of the galaxy General, and we've barely scratched the surface.  That is why we're out here.  We're stuck in another universe, but there is so much to see and experience.  Captain Jonathan Archer onboard the first _Enterprise_, about the size of the _Yeager,_ more or less, started it all and his explorations and actions lead to the birth of the Federation."

Not attempting to cover up his curiosity, he moved closer to the screen to see the image of the first Captain of a starship called _Enterprise_.  The images were wonderfully detailed and in many ways the internal bridge looked remarkably similar to a _Hyperion's_ bridge.  Even then, he saw the alien mixture.  The female first officer appeared to be one of the long-eared Vulcans.

_Their whole perspective of alien cultures differs from us so radically_ he thought.  _Earth is for Earth.  I understand Clarke and I agree with much of what he says concerning alien influence even if I don't like the way he implements it.  But, I wonder what a joint operation like this could accomplish?  What if we had joined with the Minbari or the Narns instead of fighting against them?  Could it have worked or would our mutual distrusts have caused a disaster?_

He caught Garrett looking at him as though she could read his mind.  He turned away slightly, embarrassed by whatever revelation that his face might have shown during his musings.  To his joy, she continued on as if nothing had occurred.  

"This is Captain Christopher Pike, in command of the first _Constitution_-class starship called _Enterprise_.  And this man here is Captain James T. Kirk, he and his crew being one of the most famous and decorated in the entire Federation."

Brindley stood ramrod straight, mouth opened as he strained to understand the implications.  "That face!"

"Yes," Garrett said simply.  "He's the second match we've seen here.  Major Griffin might find this Bio interesting reading…"

**_Enterprise-D:_**

****

Captain Sheridan walked swiftly into the medical bay and headed directly towards the isolation area that was currently the residence of Kosh of Vorlon.  Next to him was Guinan matching him stride for stride.  The telepathic summons had been irresistible, urgent and he had no choice but to respond.  It was the fear and uncertainty in that short connection that had forced him to come running.  With Picard's permission, doctors Crusher and Franklin left the room in order to give them the much-needed privacy. 

John had no idea what he was going to see, but this was the last thing he expected as Ambassador Kosh stood looking at the two of them in his original containment suit fully rebuilt, without a scratch on it.  Through some unknown Vorlon technology, the suit was much like his ship, in its own way a living entity, which had now repaired the terrible damage inflicted upon it by the Shadow triad.  

"Ambassador," Sheridan smiled.  "I am so glad that you are getting better."

Kosh bowed his head within the cumbersome suit.  The translator slowly responded to the commands of its master.  "It is twice now."

Sheridan suspected that he was referring to the fact that twice within three years someone had tried to kill him.  

The translator began again without preamble.  "The Empire is losing.  The Shadows have prevailed.  The three-edged sword is pointed at our throats."

John's heart sank.  With the Vorlons out of the picture, there was little that could be done against a direct Shadow attack.  "What's the status of the Vorlons?  How long can they hold out?"

"The ones called Shadows have broken the agreement.  They are true to their nature.  They are the hunters.  We were not prepared for their attack and the circle has been broken."

"Altered, not broken," Guinan corrected.

Kosh's response was to close his encounter suit's lens slightly.

"Right now _Babylon Five_ is about to become the center-point of a light-years sized galactic war.  We're not sure whose side anyone is on," said a very frustrated Captain.  "Your people are in trouble, thousands are dying and the whole area is de-stabilized.  And now the Shadows don't have a counterweight to keep their advances under some type of control.  With them orchestrating everything what chance do we have?  Even if we were able to muster everything we have, it wouldn't be enough against the Shadows and the Centauri and the other race that's attacking the Minbari. And what about that Shadow planet-killer cloud or whatever it is?"  How do we go about fighting something like that?"

"Learn," Kosh said as his eyepiece began to widen and glow.

John slowly opened his eyes and found himself in an immense darkened chamber.  Next to him were Guinan and his father-who-was-not-his-father.

"Kosh."

"Yes, Johnny, it's me," his not-father confirmed.  "I thought this would be easier to explain things in this state."

"It's not a dream like before?"

"No, not this time."

"Why have you chosen my father's form?"  Sheridan asked.  "Is it to make me feel more comfortable or is it because you do somehow feel fatherly towards me?"

"Yes," Kosh answered simply.  

_Typical._  "Where are we?"

"We're in that state where the conscious and unconscious meet in the existence you call the mind, backed by energy.  It is a telepathic world that doesn't exist, Johnny.   Here we can talk and not be intruded upon, unless we choose to be."

"What about the other telepaths onboard?" 

"The phone number is unique, my boy.  It's not a party line."  

"And I'm here to ensure that it won't be," Guinan added.  "Speaking of which…"

A moment later a startled Delenn popped next to John.  For a moment, it seemed as if she were about to panic until she saw Guinan and John.

"Where are we?"  But she already knew the answer because she had experienced this type of communication once before.  "John," she said, smiling.

"John, Delenn, there's so much I wanted to tell you but as I said once before, it's hard to change and I was-afraid.  But I almost lost that chance once and I will not repeat this mistake again.  Guinan called me 'stiff' and she was right.  My people are losing and are not long for the great journey, but you need to know the truth.  I have told you that truth is a three-edged sword: your truth, mine and the truth itself."

"Then what is real, Kosh and what does it have to do with us?"

"The Shadows, in their perverse minds, feel that they are doing what's best for the younger races by promoting conflict.  This is why they ask the question 'what do you want', because ultimately that question exacts a terrible price.   They believe that conflict promotes strength.  The Vorlons believe and understood that the opposite was true.  'Who are you' leads to understanding and enlightenment."

Guinan looked at Kosh and smirked slightly.  "They're opposite sides of the coin, Captain.  Neither which can understand or see the other's points of view and therefore, continue to fight against one another trying to prove they are right."

"Are you are trying to say that this whole conflict is a based on who's right?" John asked incredulously.  

"You don't understand, John," the Vorlon-Dad said.   "We want what is best for all of you.  You need our guidance and wisdom so that you don't make the same mistakes that we have."

Guinan shook her head.  "Delenn, John.  I have had this discussion with Kosh several times now.  What they don't seem to understand is that you're at the stage where you can decide for yourselves what you choose to be or what you choose to do.   Guidance is important but not if it smothers, which is what is happening right now.  Both the Vorlons and Shadows were appointed guardians for the younger races, but they have forgotten their purpose.  The Shadows now interfere instead of guiding and there is no one to stop them.  It may be possible to open a dialog with them, however, right now, you are simply raw material to play with."

"You're going to have to deal with this yourself, Johnny.   My people are leaving for the outer Rim soon and there will be none left to help except your fellow races.  You and yours will now have to make the difference."

"So you're going to abandon us when we need you the most," Delenn said quietly, nodding her head.  "When we need you the most, you will abandon us."

"No," Kosh responded.  "I will stay-for a while.  If I don't, then John will go to Z'ha'dum and he will die."  The Human-Vorlon turned his head and pointed towards the blackness.  "For now, this is your problem," he said, looking a cloud that appeared in the distance.   "There were five Shadow death clouds.  My people have destroyed two.  One is held in reserve and two will be used to destroy any opposition.  It is protected by the Shadow force and the Drakh."

"What are the Drakh?"

"The ones that have attack your people, Delenn.  Beware of them, for their power is far greater than you can imagine.  They are a world devoted to the teachings of the Shadows.  The shedding of blood is their life."  He continued once more looking at the rapidly approaching cloud.  "There is a weakness here, " he said, pointing to small section of the massive missile structure.  "It is heavily protected but if you can, then you can destroy it.  It will take nothing less than a twenty megaton warhead to achieve your mission and the costs will be high, unless you have help."

"Then we will have to get that help," an iron-willed Delenn stated.  "I will call for a conference at _Babylon Five_ of all of our allies and we shall have an army to fight against the darkness."

"The circle, Delenn has been altered by the presence of Guinan and the others.  That which I have known to be destiny has been altered.  I don't know whether you or your 'army of light' can win with the forces that are arrayed against you.  The enemies will try to destroy you if they can before the meeting can take place."

"We will deal with that," Delenn answered.  "But why haven't they come to help you?  Didn't your own people care that you were close to death?"  When the Ambassador had been poisoned years ago and was close to death, an entire Vorlon taskforce assembled outside of _Babylon Five_ to extract then Captain Sinclair for trial, who had been accuse of the plot to kill Kosh.  This time there was nothing.

"There was no need." 

"Why?"

The Vorlon creature refused to answer and the air around him grew colder.

"I understand why," Sheridan suddenly said.  "Every since this so-called circle has been altered, they have no idea what's to happen next and they're afraid of making things worse, so they choose to nothing."

The Vorlon-man sighed heavily.  "Yes.  It is hoped that I will be able to return the circle to its original reflection.  They delude themselves.  When the Federation came, there was no going back.

"But can we defeat the Shadows?" Sheridan asked.

"Your allies will give you a fighting chance, if you have the time.  The Federation technology given to you is powerful, but it may not be enough for the time you have before it begins.  The Shadows will not interfere unless they feel threatened with defeat. They want this fight, the bloodier it is, the better.  But, they will attack if their interests are threatened.  Your proposed alliance is a threat to them.  It is not the way of chaos."

"Well I don't care what they think," an angry Sheridan snarled. "What we do is our choice, not yours or the Shadows or anyone else who tries to decide for us.  We will follow the rules, our rules that govern us.  We may fall on our faces.  Yes, we will make mistakes, but we'll get up and move on.  And we will deal with our mistakes, not you.   

John's anger subsided somewhat.  "Kosh, we want your advice and wisdom, but we have to decide things for ourselves.  Your parental responsibility is passing.  It is time for us to get up and leave the house.  Birds have to leave the nest and so do we.  The parents can only hope for the best and trust in their teachings."

"Remember the sword, John.  The truth is sharper than anything you can imagine."

"They will remember," Guinan said.  "They will make mistakes as we all have.  But they will learn from them.  That is their strength.  Just wait and see."

A few moments later, Sheridan and Guinan were back in the Medical bay facing the Ambassador.

"Will you stay? Sheridan asked.

The Vorlon Ambassador bowed and said one word.  

"Yes."

Sheridan moved to the comm unit.  This is Captain Sheridan.  Captain Picard?  We need to talk."

_"On my way, Captain Sheridan."  _


	23. chapter 23

          Chapter Twenty-Three "False Unities and Assumptions" 

Near the edge of the Sol system, a hyperspace jump point opened less than three hundred thousand kilometers distant of the far side of the planet Neptune, spewing out the _USS Ambassador_ with its tractored EAS warship approaching the Mars belt before the first EAS warship detected them and attempted to intercept them. Immediately, the starship accelerated to warp and reached Mars orbit in less than a minute.

"You realize that every time you do this, you're giving my government fits," the General murmured to a grim-faced Garrett. Security was on an all-time high and these amazing  ships entered Earth space with seeming impunity; twice now including this time-then there was Sheridan's ship, the one that invaded the Sol system some months earlier. "Please begin broadcasting now, before they decide to start shooting at us. I wouldn't want anyone to be hurt before we can straighten this out."

"That would make things difficult," she agreed. The Captain pointed to Castillo, who began gave the command. Then she nodded to the General.

The General cleared his voice and started speaking. "This is General Christopher Brindley.  Do not fire repeat, I do not fire. This is a non-hostile approach. To all EAS ships, keep your distance and do not approach any closer than one hundred thousand kilometers. I repeat…" 

"Captain, we have a message coming thru."

"Put it onscreen."

A tall male of Japanese decent appeared on the main viewer. He did not look happy. "This is Captain Tasaki of the EAS _Athena's Fury_. You are in violation of Earth space and you will surrender immediately, or we will open fire."

"Captain, you will not initiate hostilities," Brindley tersely replied. "We are now in a state of war with the Centauri. The President needs to be aware of the situation. If you fire on this ship I will personally bust you down to a third class Crewman, after I kick the living crap out of you. Do you understand me?" the man screamed, not caring in the least that he was doing so.

_Athena's Fury's _Captain never twitched. "Sir, you are under duress and as such…"

Garrett raised her hand and stepped in front of the screen. "Captain Tasaki," she said quickly. "Our scans sow that you have four additional ships approximately five light minutes out in hyperspace vectoring in on this position. This makes a total of seven ships to one. Do not think for a second that numbers will save you. I will turn you and your compatriots into ashes if you so much as fire a ranging shot in my direction. We are here for your benefit so don't get yourself killed out of stupidity."

General Brindley hadn't realized that he was sweating. He didn't doubt any of her threats for an instant. "Tasaki, don't be a fool. Keep your distance. Your devotion is commendable but this is too big for this type of posturing. I'm coming over now. Back off." Quickly he looked at Garrett who nodded back.

"For all of our sakes, I hope you can convince them to do what's right."

A few seconds later, an astonished crew of the _Athena's Fury_ stood back as Earth Force officers began appearing on their bridge.

"Get me Earth Force command," the General roared at the Communication's officer, who rushed to obey.

Rachel Garrett, Captain of the _USS Enterprise-C_, now known as the _Ambassador_, hated playing the bully, however there was a determination in her now. Until they adjusted their attitudes, she intended to make Earth Force respect and fear her. 

"Good luck," she said softly. At her command the _Ambassador_ pulled away at warp one, created a jump point and was gone.

Seven days later-_Babylon Five_:

"You're on in five…four…three…two…one…" 

"This is an ISN special report-THE FLAMES OF WAR. I'm Robyn Kelley." 

"And I'm Terry Lynde reporting here from _Babylon Five_, the space station commanded by breakaway Officer, the former EAS Captain, and the cause of the recent rebellion of the Earth Colonies under the legitimate authority of President Clarke, John Sheridan. This station has been, until yesterday under official quarantine, which has now been lifted by President Clarke himself, due to the extraordinary circumstances dominating current events. Until last week, there had been a violent standoff between the two factions, with neither side giving up their respected views in a conflict that has split the Earth in two. No longer are we a unified world, but a world racked with fear and distrust of the alien influences that threaten to engulf us."

"And President Clarke's fears seem to be justified," Robyn continued. "The Centauri, under the direct orders of Emperor Cartagia have attacked, destroying the colony on Proxima III. The EAS ships protecting the colony were attacked which resulted in multiple casualties and forced to retreat.  The entire colony was then irradiated with nuclear type weapons.  So far, there have been no survivors found. In an extraordinary move, General Brindley chose to enter restricted _Babylon Five_ space to escape the pursuing Centauri warships. Despite differences between the two factions, an agreement was struck and the General was escorted safely to Earth space with a message-come to _Babylon Five_ so that we can deal with this."

"_Babylon Five_ itself was attacked by a massive Centauri fleet which was repelled by the combined forces of _B5s's_ EAS and alien warships, along with the Human controlled, so-called Federation Starfleet ships that have caused so much grief to Earth Force in the last few months. At the same time, the Minbari Federation was also viciously attacked by elements of another race, which destroy several outer territories. It is believed that over twelve million Minbari were killed. This represents a serious threat that could well launch Earth into another major war with races other than the Centauri. There are also rumors that the Vorlons are in a major fight of their own, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Because of the attacks and rumors of war, the President has taken this step to have representatives meet on _Babylon Five_ with the non-aligned races, the Minbari and Captain Sheridan, to began preparations for what promises to be a major struggle against the forces of evil. To say that President Clarke, the Minbari and the other races are angry would be a gross understatement. Terry?"

"Security here is tighter than anything than I've ever seen. We were screened more times than we could count before they allowed us in. There are reporters, including us, from every species gathered here, attempting to get a glimmer of information of the current proceedings. The fact that we were even allowed here, speaks of the seriousness and the resolve of the situation at hand, and their confidence in protecting those government officials that are coming here. We are standing in the crystal observatory were we can see the space vessels of every description stationed near the front of _Babylon Five_. There are at least three renegade EAS ships that we can see and one of the exotic Federation ships is visible in the distance. We've been told that allied forces are guarding this entire sector up to a distance of a light-year. Our own forces are located at the perimeter, separated far enough to ensure that there are no incidents between the two Earth Forces. Over here," he said pointing to his left, "Just flying pass, are two of the _White Stars_-Sheridan's ships. There are ships representing the Brakiri Alliance, the Gaim Intelligence, the Drazi Freehold, the Pak'ma'ra, and a dozen others, but so far none of them have been allowed to dock shuttles as of yet. 

"Excuse me, Terry," Robyn said. "But the Jumpgate has just activated. There are three ships coming thru, but-I can't tell from this distance exactly what type…"

The camera zoomed in and there was a gasp from the cameraman as his floating vidcam transferred the signal. The opening of a jump gate was always a spectacular sight, and this time was no exception.

"They're Minbari warships, the big ones." Terry's voice betrayed the awe as they trio moved to their respected places near the massive station. "Two are _Sharlin _Class heavy battleships and the smaller one is a _White Star_. This is the first time we've seen them close up like this. Many years ago the Minbari almost caused the extinction of mankind and the memories, although dimming have not been forgotten by any stretch of the imagination. This is one of the reasons why President Clarke…"

The commentary abruptly ceased as Captain Sheridan followed by Kosh of Vorlon, entered the room. All of the reporters immediately focused on his and the staff with him. He walked up to the podium in front of the window. 

"Ladies and Gentleman. I want to thank you for your cooperation and patience during this historical conference about to take place. This conference is being videoed live to every world in this alliance, and the Centauri and their allies will see it also. They'll see it and know that we are resolved in our struggle that they have placed us in. We are not afraid of them and we will not cower and hide while they kill innocent people in a war that they have started, for whatever reason. The colony on Proxima III is gone. Four worlds of the Minbari Federation have been attacked resulting in great loss of life. _Babylon Five_ was attacked. EAS ships were attacked and several destroyed in an unprovoked attack. Worlds from all over have been assailed. This cannot and will not continue. To this extent, the races here, including Earth Gov, have set aside differences for now, have come to sign a mutual defense pact. The enemy has power and the numbers, but we're not defenseless and we are here to give warning that you have opened Pandora's box." He touched the comm pad. "You may begin." 

To the left of the podium, the reporters heard a humming sound as a set of shimmering images caught their collective eyes. Three Minbari, one female and two males, appeared within the shimmering light, a moment later becoming solid. Delenn, Menroi and Neroon bowed to the stunned crowd.  Silently, they moved to Sheridan's left just as the shimmering began again. Next, were the Drazi contingents, looking somewhat frightened from the experience, but otherwise determined. The unprecedented acts continued as the EAS representatives, General Brindley, and his aides, including Timen Christov, moved off to one side. The General, this being his second experience with the transporters, considered himself an old hand, watched with stone-faced amusement as Timen's legs buckled slightly. As the seconds passed, several more species arrived the same way, shaken and awed by the experience. 

The Narns appeared next, along with the Klingons, represented by Worf and Captain Koral. Some of the more observant reporters noticed that their appearance was different than the others had been. Evidently, they used a different technique to matter transport than the previous guests. And finally, the Federation Captains Picard and Garrett and Ambassador Guinan materialized.

Sheridan cleared his throat slightly, pulling everyone's attention back to him. "This is just a small example of what we have at our disposal and we will use everything we have to end this war as quickly as possible. The _Shadows_ of conflict threaten to engulf us all, but we will not succumb to the darkness."

_I'm sure he sees me_ the Drazi thought. _Even with all my precautions, Kosh sees me, and the Guinan woman also. Why haven't they exposed me?_ The holo-imager worked perfectly and no one had noticed him, but it had been one of the greatest and unexpected challenges he had faced in a long time. Federation scanners had almost caught him on three separate occasions and he was constantly adjusting his equipment to counter their passive probes. These people were indeed formidable and it seemed likely that the Centauri and the Drakh were about to have their hands full. His recordings of the Federation matter integrators were astounding and much valuable data had been gathered. 

But the Shadows were extremely powerful and with the Vorlons all but defeated, the advantage was theirs. That's why his people had left for parts unknown, far from the approaching darkness. But things had a way of changing when least expected. Idly, he wondered how Clarke would react with the uncensored broadcasts originating from this station. Evidently, the Great Machine of Epsilon IV was supporting the transmission. Bowing slightly to Kosh and Guinan, Galen continued to listen to Captain Sheridan and to the Earth reporters trying desperately to report the news, while being bias towards Clarke but against Sheridan at the same time. _They walk a thin thread_ he mused. 

Just like him.

**Deep space Explorer ship _Ganymede II_:**

Captain Lauren Clopton yawned once more as she looked into the vast sea of stars. So far, they had discovered two new races and catalogued several stellar phenomena, but other than that, nothing. Deep-space surveys were like that. But the crew was vigilant. There was a desperate need to find out where the federation's location was.  The Starfleet ships were indeed powerful and it was far better that they discover their origins before they were themselves discovered poking around.

The IPX _Explorer_–class vessel, along with three of its sister ships, had been on mission for the last four months with no success so far. They weren't part of the military, but they were 'on loan' from the private sector, and thus supported by them. Everybody had been pressed into service in order to find the origins of the Federation colony. 

They were nearly a hundred light-years out, further than any Earth vessel had ever been before. The deep-range surveyor had been backtracking the proposed direction from which the Federation vessels had purportedly come from. Supported by a long-ranged EAS _Nova_ escort being used as a moveable command base, they had methodically documented every area of space looking for clues to their origins. Two days ago, the seven-member crew had heard the rumors from Earth Force that their mission may be a mote point; these people may have come from another reality. 

_Yeah, right. Tell me another one. Then I'll have a New York Bridge to sell you had been the general consensus among the crew._

It may have been true, but General Brindley and the others were having none of it. Earth Force demanded confirmation, one-way or the other, so their mission continued. Today promised to be like any other day on this rather boring mission.

"Captain?"

"Don't tell me," Lauren answered. "We've found another rock out here, a big one his time."

"No, Ma'am," Jeanette answered ignoring the sarcasm. "We have a real contact. It's metallic, approximately twenty thousand tons, radiating almost no heat."

That perked Lauren up considerably. "Have you confirmed the signal?"

"Yes," Jeanette said quickly, as her hands brushed across her instruments. "It's definitely alien in origin. There is no power signature but the metallurgical readings coincide with those taken from the Clinkgon vessel."

"It's called Klingon," the Captain corrected. "I think." She shook her head in amusement. "Begin taking detailed readings and Jake, move in slowly. Some of these races like to bobby-trap abandoned ships and equipment."

"Understood."

"Andrea, call the teams and tell them we have something. I want them all here," Lauren said as she continued looking at the contact. The more she looked at the derelict, the more she and her crew came to believe that this was the real thing. If it was, then it was very likely that the Federation and Klingons had lied. Alternative universe, her foot; these folks were homegrown. From where, she didn't know yet, but when the deep-space probes were ready, she knew what directions they would head.

The newcomers had given Earth Gov fits and with the enemies advanced technology; Earth Force was no match for this Federation organization. They desperately needed to balance the scales in case their fleet came calling. Earth Force needed to understand these people or at least find out from where they came so that if that time did come, Earth would be ready or least have some idea of where to strike back. 

Within a half an hour, the _Ganymede II _slowly circled the wrecked remains. Whatever had happened to the ship had caused a titanic explosion but there was a portion left, not larger than her IPX vessel. The entire crew was bouncing with excitement, but Lauren reined them in. It was time to do a final check.

"Radiation across the board."

"Negative."

"Power source or emissions?"

"Negative."

"Life signs?"

"None. There may be a body present, but I can't tell from here."

"We'll wait for the others to get here before we start."

Seven hours later, the _Nova_ escort _Helix_ and the two IPX ships arrived via jump space. After a conference it was decided that rather than bringing the wreckage into the _Helix_, they would explore it first. Three scientists and two security guards in EVA suits entered the neck of the destroyed bird of prey and headed towards the bridge. Their light units discovered two mummified, mangled corpses, Klingon males, plastered against the bulkheads because of the force of the blast that took the rest of the ship. Reaching the bridge, Jeanette shook her head.

"The bridge is almost gone, but there are a few computer components still intact," she said as her voice shook with excitement. Ten minutes later: "We found two of their energy hand weapons and some of their hand-held computer equipment!"

"How much of it is salvageable?"

"A lot, Captain Clopton."  _One man's trash is another man's treasure_. "I recommend that we bring it into the _Helix_. There's a lot of damage and it's likely that most of the data has been lost, but even if a fragment remains it'll be well worth the effort."

"Jeanette," one of the scientists yelled. "I believe this is their weapons console, or what's left of it!"

Two hours later, the precious cargo was safely inside the _Helix_, along with two of the survey craft. The last IXP vessel would remain in the area to continue the sweep, but everyone was in agreement. The treasure the explorers had found was more than they ever imagined finding. 

One thing was sure; this find would change the course of the upcoming war.

The warship created a jump point and began its journey back to Earth. A heavy escort group was already on the way to meet them. 

Captain Sisko watched the stars streak by from the bridge of the _USS Yeager_, now traveling at maximum warp.  They would reach their target system in a week.   One of the interesting things about warp travel was that there were areas of space-time in subspace, which allowed one to travel so much faster than projected speed, even if time remained relative inside the subspace bubble.  That hint in itself suggested much greater velocities that could be obtained that would break the warp ten barrier currently restricting warp travel. 

Doctor Deanna Troi stood next to him, sharing the view with a quiet contentment that was becoming her trademark.  "I've never heard of Bajor," she said softly.  

"I have," Sisko answered just as softly.  "It was a world annexed by the Cardassians.  Millions of Bajorans were tortured and killed and it's a Cardassian colony, now.   There is no reason to believe that the world exists here, but the dreams keep telling me that I have to come.  The voices insist that I come, but they are getting softer.  Sometimes, I can barely hear them.  It is as though we don't have much time left."

"You believe that this might be a way home."  It was a statement from Deanna, not a question.  Picard and Garrett, by way of Guinan, were aware of this development and decided to take a chance because so far, all of their efforts to get back home had proven fruitless.  Now they were chasing dreams.

"It is possible," he conceded.  Quietly, he was thankful that they hadn't placed in him in a padded room for observation.  "I don't know, but every other avenue has been negative so far."  

Several minutes passed before Deanna spoke again.  "I miss my mother and my sister," Deanna whispered.  "I can't stand the idea of the Klingons winning.  With the jump space technology, we may be able to turn the tide."

"But that would mean leaving the Klingons stranded here."

"Yes, it does."  Lost in her train of thought for a moment, Deanna's next words were spoken carefully.  "Captain, I don't hate these Klingons, especially not Worf.  But, if it meant that we would win this war, I would have them all killed in a moment." 

Silently, he nodded in agreement, as distasteful as it was.  The only cost would be a portion of their soul.   "I hope it doesn't come to that, but I understand your point.  As individuals, they are not that bad.  They have been useful and even cordial, but our hatred runs deep.  That was something that Captain Garrett made me confront.  Emotions are hard to conquer."    

"Mine more so than yours."  Deanna sighed and the weight of the world could be heard in it.  "Earth has survived so far.  My Betazed did not and I can still hear the screams of a billion deaths in my mind."  For a second, the woman shivered violently.  "I find that I can't hate these Klingons, but I hate their race as a whole."

"We have a long way to go, don't we?"  There was nothing worse than to live one's life hating.  But twenty-two years of war-that should not have occurred in the first place-was hard to let go of.  Hate hated to be suppressed and usually transferred itself onto something else.  He and the others like him were trying their best to avoid that.   

"Yes, we do.  Maybe one day, we can let go-"

"-But, not yet."

"Rachel told me something once that I needed an attitude adjustment.  She wanted me to actively confront my personal demons and move on.  _Hate_ she said _doesn't make you stronger, only weaker in the long run_."

"Spoken like someone who hasn't experienced world after world destroyed by savages."

Quietly, they both continued looking at the stars that streaked by.  

"He's still in my mind," she said. "Not nearly as strong as before, but still there.

"Bester?"

"Yes."  The name issued from her lips as if it were vomit.  "I can feel his hatred and fear, even at this distance, like an itch deep inside my mind.  Even with the mind control techniques taught to me by the Vulcan's, there's a touch that still lingers.  He is coming to _Babylon Five_ with the others.  They are escaping Clarke's purge and they have no where else to go to."

"The Psi-Corps is coming to _B5_?  How many?"

"As many telepaths as possible.  Clarke will destroy them.  He's had hundreds killed already.  If they don't get help soon, he will wipe them out."

Sisko grimaced.  That possibility would cause a host of difficulties.  "If Sheridan is wise, he will not let them on his station.  They can't be trusted."

"No, you're wrong.  The telepaths can be trusted, but Psi-Corps can't.  They're corrupt and their agenda is one of coercion and duplicity. With them onboard my people will be busy soon filtering out the truth from the lies."  

"You mean, _our people_, all of us, Doctor.  These are not _our_ people."

Her eyes flared slightly at the realization of what she'd just said.  "It's the bond," she whispered to herself.  "The phrase 'Corps is mother and father' keeps trying to infiltrate my being.  But it's a lie," she said violently.  "Bester mind is filled with that propaganda.  He honestly believes he is doing right, but he and his people want to start a war with the non-telepaths."  Louder: "I will not allow this to control my life."  Slowly, she walked the length of the bridge before turning abruptly to face Ben once more.  "The good thing about this is that he's having a lot more difficulty with this bond than I.  I hope he suffers well."

****

****

**_Babylon Five:_**

"That went better than I expected, Captain Sheridan," Neroon murmured.  "I believed that Clarke's people would have never agreed to the treaty."

Neroon almost flopped onto the couch inside Delenn quarters.  The alien drink he was now consuming tasted surprisingly good.  The nourishment replication device in her room was frankly amazing, and he was strongly considering asking the Grey Counsel to open trade negotiations with the Starfleet ships.  It was true, as he had suspected; this group _was _dangerous-but not to his people.  Delenn trusted them, as did Captain Menroi.   As for himself, he wasn't yet convinced, but they weren't the threat he believed them to be either.  Time and more study would tell.

But for now, he was tired of dealing with so many alien races.  Their nuances and motivations were sometimes incomprehensible.  More and more, he was developing a respect for Delenn and her considerable talents.  The war had already started and still there was bickering as to leadership.  Earth Force demanded that they take the lead against the Centauri.  That was acceptable, but their insistence that _Babylon Five_ be placed under direct Earth Gov control was insolent and ludicrous.  Brindley and his associates seemed ashamed to even have suggested it.  But they were obliged to follow the orders of their government.  

"They didn't have a choice.  What you saw was simple posturing.  Even Clarke understands that Earth can't deal with this situation alone."

"Humans!"  Neroon laugh was laced with irony.  "We're more alike than I previously believed.  Very well, I will tell the counsel that the _White Stars_ will remain under _Babylon Five's _control but now, we must go.  The times for pleasure and rest are over.  My people need every ship.  This time, I believe I will take the shuttlecraft," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.  "The other way is faster, I'll admit.  But, but this way, I won't be in danger of losing this wonderful drink I've just finished." 

Sheridan nodded sympathetically and grabbed Delenn's hand. Trying to convince her to stay was folly.  She was needed on Minbar and he needed to be here, free to concentrate on the upcoming war.  "My candle is lit against the darkness.  Be well."    

Her smile warmed his heart.  "Be well," she said. 


	24. Epilogue

**                    Epilogue **

The EAS _Charon_ and two escort destroyers at hyperspace beacon Six-five-one, location one point three light years distant from _Babylon Five_ space:

The last thing the security forces had expected was an attack by the Centauri.  It had been understood that they might have tried to disrupt the conference at _Babylon Five_ which was why the _Charon_ was stationed here, waiting to escort the Earth Force diplomatic vessel back home.  But there so many allied ships around, it would be suicide to try anything.  Certainly one ship was less than useless.

The blackness of space retreated as the _Charon's_ defensive armor barely resisted the second volley of particle beams tearing into her port side.  She returned fire with her main weapons and the ripped into the side of the _Vorchan_ warship that had fired on her.  Even as the EAS ship gutted her, both of her support ships were adding their considerable firepower to the mix.  Mortally wounded, plasma fires in a half dozen places, the ship wavered and slowing cracked into three distinct sections.  The Centauri support fighters were helpless now and an overwhelming number of Star Furies were now mopping them up, offering them the same chance for surrender as they had the _Heracles_.  

Despite the suddenness of the attack, the _Charon_ escort hadn't been the primary target.  Unfortunately for the Centauri, they were simply at the wrong place at the right time.  The true objective had been a small Earth shuttle that somehow reached the Jump gate, frantically trying to reach a safe haven.  

"We are clear of enemy activity, Captain," Commander Trent announced.  "We've sustained a lot of damage on our outer hull, sir.  However we are still able to maneuver and critical systems are online.  EAS ships are vectoring in on our position."

"Excellent," Captain Anderson said with obvious pride for his ship and crew.   "Make sure our wounded are attended to.  Now let's see what was so important that the Centauri would sacrifice a ship-of-the-line to destroy one shuttle.  I want it brought here."

"Yes, sir."

**Z'ha'dum: **

Justin, Morden and a hundred other from a dozen species watched as the Shadow fleet saluted Z'ha'dum's dark city before phasing into hyperspace.  This was the latest strike force headed towards the rapidly weakening Vorlon defense force.  In their foolishness, the Vorlons had garnered no support except the younger races and that support was busy defending itself against the Drakh Hordes banging at their gates.  This was one of so many mistakes the Vorlons had made in their pathetic existences, Justin believed-

-As did the others.   Arrogance usually got you killed and in the end the Shadow theory seemed even stronger: _that which did not kill you made you stronger_.  It was almost regrettable that the Shadows were going to force their ancient foes to retreat into the Rim as so many of the older races had gone to.

But exactly what was the Rim?

No one was saying.

Justin turned and slowly left the congregation followed by Morden and two Shadow aliens.  The group entered his apartment and he poured himself and Morden a glass of wine. 

"To victory."

"To victory," Morden echoed.  He took a slow sip, savoring every nuance of flavor.  "I expect our little package has arrived at _Babylon Five_ by now."

"I believe so.  It was a nice touch to let the Centauri find out about it. They almost performed too well and came very close to destroying the shuttle."

"But they didn't, which is a good thing for them."  There was a hint of darkness in his words that suggested that it was indeed good that the Centauri had failed.  "Cartagia can be very reasonable when necessary," Morden said.  "I wish I could be there to see Sheridan's face."

One of the Shadows whispered softly.  

"We understand that this grand alliance can't be allowed to flourish.  Sheridan is the glue that is holding it together.  If he's distracted for a while," Justin smirked,  "so much the better," for us.  That is why this plan is so important.  Otherwise, I see no choice but to destroy his power base."

There were more whispers.

"The polarized plating and new weapons are a problem.  I understand that you would need more resources to overwhelm them now.  Even with the Federation technology, they aren't that much of a threat.  But surely they can wait until the Vorlons are subdued?"

Several more comments were whispered to the Humans.

It was Morden who responded this time.  "The plan is a good one. Yes, we will be patient.  We've learned that virtue from you."

Two alien heads twisted, listening to something that the Humans could not hear.  Quickly, they left, motioning for the two men to follow.  All four of the beings reached the edge of the city and joined the tens of thousands looking up towards the heavens.  Stunned, the Humans were unsure of just what they were looking at.  But the Shadows knew exactly what it was.

It was found deep in hyperspace by one of the Shadow escorts, the lead alien explained.  The artifact had been created and lost nearly three thousand years ago for reasons unknown.

"It's Vorlon," Justin hissed as the citywide view screen appeared and presented details of the artifact for all to see.  Its size was almost that of _Babylon_ _Five_ itself, but its design reminded him at first glance, of some type of musical instrument.

The first alien confirmed it.  It was going to be a victory trophy for Shadowdom.  The Vorlons had searched for this particular creation for three millennia.  Now it was theirs.

"But I thought that you wanted nothing to do with anything Vorlon," said a surprised Justin.  

The creature dismissed that prophecy.  It said that the circle had been altered and the danger had passed, no longer being significant in the glories to come.  A new circle was forming and the Shadows would ride it for the next thousand years.       

Justin and Morden were not convinced.  And both wanted to know exactly what that thing was.

The answer was swift.  It was alleged to be a doorway into another universe, another place that the Vorlons believed would allow them to touch the hand of God and so become gods themselves.  They were arrogant like that.  But they had never activated it, or so it was believed.  There had been a war between two factions and the artifact was stolen, hidden and forgotten in the vastness of hyperspace.   Now rediscovered, it would they who would touch and be touched. 

"This may not be a good idea," Morden whispered to Justin even as several large Shadow vessels prepared to begin to move the device to a safe distance to begin experimenting with the Vorlon device in an effort to activate it.  "Things Vorlon are a curse to this universe."

Justin didn't comment.  However he was in agreement with his companion one hundred percent.

By this action everything that had happened would pale into insignificance as the match began lighting the candle of Armageddon.  Nothing would prepare them for the nightmare beginning to flare even while they watched astonished by the dark beauty of it all.

The old circle had indeed been ripped apart.  A new, hideous one began to make itself known to the universe.

The _USS Enterprise_ dropped out of warp almost on top of the EAS_ Charon's _battle group some thirty-five hours after Earth Force ship had picked up the lone occupant onboard the escaping shuttle.  Her shields were up, but other than that, sensors didn't detect any targeting locks, and that made Captain Anderson a very happy man.

"Captain Picard is onscreen."

"Very Good."  Anderson saw the severe-looking Federation Captain eyeing him carefully.  He was obviously sizing him up before he spoke.  "Captain," he said nodding slightly.

"Captain," Picard responded.  "Where is your passenger?"

"She's here."

"Good.  Tell her to prepare for transport."

"Acknowledged."  The man definitely wasn't into small talk.  This Captain was no one to play with.  "Captain, will you relay a message to Captain Sisko for me?"

Picard looked up.  "What is it?"

"Tell him that  'things are okay'," Anderson said with equal coldness.  He watched in satisfaction as Picard acknowledged the insult and softened slightly.

"I'll relay the message," the Federation Captain said in a more civil tone.  "Picard out."

"Reminds me of a drill instructor, I had once," the EAS Officer behind Anderson murmured, "no sense of humor at all."

The transport was completed and the Starship maximum warped towards _Babylon Five_. 

Three hours later, the _Enterprise_ re-entered _B5 _space and transported the woman to secured quarters, where John was waiting.  Even though he knew who was coming, he still remained speechless, not believing in the one who stood in front of him.

"Hello John," Anne Sheridan said simply.

Expressionless at first, he simply continued to stare.  The same eyes, the same voice, that body figure he used to hold so gently and lovingly, everything he saw- it _was_ her.

"I know what you're thinking, but their ideals are different, on levels we can barely understand," Anne began quickly.  "They're not animals, but a wise and powerful race.  For a moment she silent as the memories seemed to overwhelm her.  

" No one comes back from Z'ha'dum the same.  Part of me has been damaged, John.  They put me into one of their machines," his lost-lost wife continued.  "When the what-you-call Shadows released me, they told me that they would use me as bait to get to you, but I escaped.  You're interfering with their plans and they will destroy _Babylon Five_ unless you break this alliance.  They believed that if you found out that I was alive, I could be used as a ransom to keep you under control."  

John's life shattered.  She was supposed to be dead.  It was another lie.  But here she was, in the flesh.  Beverly and Stephen had confirmed that it was indeed his wife, before she even arrived.  "They told me you were dead, lost with the others on your ship."

_Delenn_ told you I was dead," Anne corrected.  "I heard the Shadows speaking about her.  "She's Minbari."  The words came out as a curse.   "They never tell the whole truth, especially when it's not in their interests.  She wants you and will do anything to keep you for herself."    

"You escaped from the Shadows?  How?"  He couldn't think of anything else to say.  Right now he couldn't dare take the road he so desperately wanted to.  Not yet.

"I had help," Anne whispered seductively and with more than a hint of evasion.  

The hairs on John's back stood on their ends.

"Once I was free, there was no choice.  I had to return to you-"

"-My love…"

Next:  

Between the Darkness and the Light are "THOSE WHO STAND"


End file.
